Balancing Act
by sweets10
Summary: There were not only six children of Kronos. Gabriel the eldest god led the Olympians for many years. However, in order to protect the world, he stepped down from his mantel and left Olympus. With the world finally at a true balance, life was perfect. Now, a new threat has arisen: the Titans have returned and an old hero must return to stand and fight. AU. Warning: Language
1. Chapter 1

Zeus strode into the grand Throne Room of Olympus. Light glimmered off of each of the seven thrones. It truly was a beautiful sight. Only a few short days prior, Zeus's siblings had been in the belly of Kronos, the Titan of Time. With the help of his mother, Zeus freed his siblings and ended the reign of the Titans. Since then he and his siblings had ruled the world as best as they could. The gods had finally been able to set mankind straight and give them land in which to build a new kingdom. They named it Greece.

A lone figure stood in the center of the Throne Room, catching Zeus's attention.

"Brother, is everything alright?" The figure turned around and smiled at Zeus.

"Better than alright," he smiled. His smile was contagious and Zeus found himself smiling as well. "Everything is finally in order the way it should be." Zeus stared in admiration of his older brother.

"Gabriel, is the war truly over? Are we finally at peace?" Gabriel smiled down at his little brother. He stood much taller than Zeus even in his godly form.

"Yes, Zeus. You have accomplished a great task. We are finally at peace. At least for a good long while." Gabriel grasped his brother's forearm as was custom, and turned to seat himself on his throne. Zeus followed suit sitting to Gabriel's left.

Gabriel watched as one by one his other siblings flashed into the room. First came Hera, his beautiful sister, Zeus's wife of only two days. She was already pregnant with their first child. Zeus smiled at her and stood to give her a hug and kiss.

"Hera, you are looking as lovely as ever." Hera smiled at Gabriel.

"Gabe, you are too kind." She flinched as the baby kicked. "I don't know how lovely I will be when this baby decides to come. He kicks as if he is trying to tear me apart!" Zeus looked stricken while Gabe only laughed.

"He will be a great warrior, Hera. You and Zeus will both be proud parents." They both smiled brightly. Soon Hades, Poseidon, and Hestia flashed into the throne room as well. They each smiled at Gabriel before going over to hug Hera and Zeus. When all the welcomes were said and done they each sat themselves upon their thrones.

"Brother," asked Poseidon. "What is going on that has us all here together?"

"We have business to attend to. We have had our time for celebration but now it is time for responsibility." The other gods nodded their approval. Gabriel was, after all, the god of balance and fate. The Fates themselves had granted Gabriel the sole responsibility of keeping the balance of all things. In order to do that, he needed to be able to understand fate and be able to guide life on the necessary path. Just as he was about to talk another flash came from the center of the room.

"Ah! Pan, my dear friend glad of you to join us." The young satyr smiled embarrassingly and clopped over to his throne.

"I apologize, Gabriel. My duties in restoring peace to nature were keeping me quite busy." Gabriel smiled easily.

"It is no matter. There will always be a time for such things. But for now we have important business to attend to." Gabe looked around to his siblings and Pan. "Greece is thriving and soon we will have more duties and responsibilities. We must all understand what we must do in order to make Greece a beacon of light and knowledge to the world." Gabriel turned to Zeus first.

"Zeus," he said. Zeus looked at him with unwavering attention. "You are the God of the Skies. It is your duty to watch over the world." Zeus nodded, understanding. "You nod but you do not truly understand my brother." Zeus looked confused as did the other gods. Gabriel sighed and his siblings could see the utter grief and pain that he was obviously feeling. "You have such an important role to play in the world, little brother. The time will come for the men and women of Greece to look towards Olympus for a king. I have seen you fate and it is your duty to become the King of the Gods. But do not worry. For while it is a daunting responsibility, I will always be here to guide you. I will not bow to you as a subject, and nether will any of the others here. You will be the King of the minor gods that will come into being, as well as any children you or any of the rest of you may have." Hades and Poseidon looked upset, but they knew better than to question their brother.

"Hera, you will be the Queen of the Gods. You will be Zeus's better half, keeping him in line and making sure that he remains fair and impartial in his dealings. You will guide him as is your duty as his wife and the Queen." Hera smiled slightly at her brother, not quite sure how to take in the new responsibilities.

"Poseidon, you are to continue to be the ruler of the seas. You will have the great responsibility to watch over all the water of the earth and to keep the peace and balance that is necessary in the world. Do not be dismayed that you are not the King of the Gods. It is not for you. You have much power and are the only one able to keep the seas in check." Poseidon thought for a moment before smiling greatly at his brother.

"I understand Gabriel. I will do all I can to keep the balance. I don't know if I can possibly contain so much power." Poseidon's voice trailed out before Gabriel's deep, resounding voice calmed him.

"Do not second guess yourself. You have enough power. But even so, it is my duty to keep the balance of life, and so you too will not be alone." Gabriel turned to Hades next.

"Hades, my brother, you have always understood the balance of life and death. You must be the one to preside over the afterlife. To keep souls in check and to protect the circle of life. You have great power as well, my brother, for death holds great power over life. You will not be alone either. I will be here always to help keep the balance for you as well." Hades, not being one of many words, simply nodded.

"Hestia, my sweet, sweet sister." Hestia smiled brightly at her brother. A fire danced in her eyes showing her appreciation. She had always been Gabe's favorite sibling. "You are the cornerstone of this family. Without family we have nothing. You have the duty of keeping us all in check and to remind us all of our strong ties to one another. There is no greater power in the world than the love of family." Hestia smiled and nodded, but then she frowned.

"Brother, what is it you're not telling us?" Gabe turned to her once more, and the gods flinched at the sight that they saw. A tear streaked down the god of balance's face.

"There will come a time when I must leave you all. The balance of power must be kept. There will come a day when the pantheon of Olympians will be full and the power will be too great." The other gods stood up from their thrones immediately, shouting. Gabriel simply held up his hand and they quieted down. "I know that this is hard for you to understand, but it is not for many, many years. For now let us celebrate in the birth of Hera and Zeus's child and forget about this sadness." The other gods frowned but nodded. Gabe never lied about the future. If he said it would be many years into the future he meant it. Just as they sat down, Hera cried out in pain. As if expecting it, Gabriel smiled and flashed everyone into a separate room, dedicated for one special purpose: childbirth.

Ares was born only hours later, and as the years went by several more children came into being as well. The Olympians had many difficulties. First, Zeus nearly died when Athena was born from his head, his head splitting open too far. If it hadn't been for Gabriel and Hestia's intervention, he would have died and taken years to reform. After Athena, Hera and Zeus had Hephaestus, the god of the forge. Hera in shock of having such an ugly baby accidently dropped him off of Olympus, disfiguring him. Gabriel had calmly picked up the baby and returned him and helped fuse the tension between the family. Hephaestus still felt bitter towards Hera, but Gabriel's intervention helped keep them from having a severe problem. Next, came Zeus's infidelity. Artemis and Apollo became the newest gods to join Olympus. Hera had blown up, nearly killing the twins, but Gabriel saved them as well. However, in order to keep the world in balance, Zeus and Leto had to be punished for breaking the vows Zeus took with Hera. Leto was banished from Olympus, however, Artemis and Apollo were allowed to visit her often to compensate for the bad turn of events. After Artemis and Apollo became the newest Gods, Pan and Gabriel met to discuss the balance of Olympus. Pan understood that in order to keep the balance he needed to step down as an Olympian. He was glad, however, being able to focus all of his attention on the world he loved to protect. Soon after, came Hermes who had also been born from Zeus and another woman. This required Gabriel to intervene once more. After Hermes was Dionysus.

When Dionysus became an Olympian, Gabriel brought the Olympians together.

"Family, today is the day that we have wished would never come." The younger gods had no idea what it meant, but Zeus, Hera, Hades, Poseidon, and Hestia immediately began to cry. "Do not cry, for as I promised I will always be here." Gabriel stepped down from his throne and wiped the tears from his sibling's faces. "I may be leaving, but I will never leave you entirely. I will always be here to keep the balance. It is my fate, and you all must follow your own. Remember, you may not see me for many years but I will never be far." Gabriel turned to his throne and closed his eyes. Immediately his throne disappeared into the ground and the Throne Room rearranged itself. Zeus's throne was put in the middle with Hera to his left and Poseidon to his right. "It is time my family. Do not mourn for me for this is not goodbye. No, it is only until next time." Gabriel smiled sadly at everyone and turned to leave the Throne Room. As he made it outside he heard footsteps coming up beside him. He smiled at the goddess before him.

"Artemis, you should be with your hunters." Artemis did not smile.

"Are you really leaving?" Gabe nodded sadly.

"Unfortunately, it is my time to leave. But do not be afraid to call for me. I will be only be an Iris call away." Artemis smiled slightly before hugging Gabe. Gabriel was shocked before he hugged her back. "What is this?" he laughed. "I thought you were Artemis, the eternal man-hater." She smiled up at him before hitting his arm.

"OTHER men," she corrected. "You will always be the greatest Gabriel. I will miss you dearly. Who else will keep me sane from Apollo and Hermes?" Gabriel smiled again.

"Thank you, Arty," she scowled at the nickname. "But it is time for me to leave." Artemis gave him one last hug before he flashed off of Olympus. She smiled sadly, refusing to let the tears fall. The only great man had just willingly left his power and throne for the sake of balancing the world. She knew she had sworn off men, but Gabriel was the one exception. However, she knew now that it could never be. He had left and she did not expect to ever see him again. She flashed to her hunters. She needed to hunt some monsters to free herself from her grief.

 **A/N: Hey guys this is my first time attempting to write a story and post it on fanfiction. This will be, hopefully, a new and different type of story that has never before been told. I hope you all enjoy it. Reviews are more than welcomed! Disclaimer: I do not own Percy Jackson or anything else affiliated with Rick Riordan. I however, do own my OCs and my unique originality that will be throughout this story. Enjoy!**


	2. Chapter 2

Gabriel stared out across the water. It had been a week since he had left Olympus. He was no longer an Olympian. No. He was something much greater. He had never revealed himself simply for his own purpose: it would disrupt the balance of the universe. Gabriel had been blessed by Chaos itself upon birth. He was the first of Kronos's children and already had much power. Chaos's blessing did not give him any additional power. He received no extra skills or prowess in battle. He received no omnipotence or wings. He had just retained his godlike being. Despite not being an Olympian he still had the same amount of power as he had before. Except now he no longer was restrained by the ancient laws the Fates had placed on the gods. It was important for his duty in keeping the balance.

As Gabriel watched Apollo streak across the sky he finally found what he was looking for. Out in the great expanse of the sea, a giant shell emerged from the water. Gabriel smiled and continued to watch the breathtaking process. The shell opened to reveal a beautiful woman. She looked around confused until Gabriel flashed her right beside him on the beach.

"Hello Aphrodite," he said. She looked at him in confusion not knowing how he knew of her. "Relax. I am only here to help. My name is Gabriel. I have come to show you your fate."

"Who are you?" She asked. Gabriel placed a steady hand on her shoulder.

"Merely a man trying to keep the world the way it should be. Come now and listen you have much to learn and much to do." Gabriel led Aphrodite away from the beach and began to explain all about the gods and Greece and what her duties and responsibilities would be. Aphrodite listened with rapt attention. Soon, he had her go to Olympus where she too would become an Olympian goddess. It was all part of the plan.

Zeus and the other Olympians were engaged in a heated debate when a flash in the middle of the Throne Room grabbed their attention. There stood a beautiful woman with long, flowing black hair, and kaleidoscopic eyes. The male gods began to drool much to the chagrin of the women. Hera slapped Zeus hard on the arm getting his attention. Zeus immediately snapped back to reality.

"Who are you? What brings you here before the Olympian council?" His voice boomed and lightning struck in the distance. Hades and Poseidon did their best to contain their laughter.

"My name is Aphrodite. I was told to come here. It is my duty to fill another position within this council," she said. Her voice sounded like honey and Apollo and Hermes couldn't help but physically fall out of their thrones. Artemis simply rolled her eyes and glared at her brother.

"Who told you such a thing?" Aphrodite looked around the room before saying, "a man named Gabriel, my lord." The room grew incredibly quiet. Zeus faltered and even the heavens grew solemn. The waves died down for a brief time and the world was cast in a quick and sudden darkness.

"If that is true then, Aphrodite, we must welcome you to Olympus. Welcome Aphrodite, Olympian goddess of…" Zeus looked to her questioningly.

"Beauty and love."

"Right. Welcome Aphrodite, goddess of beauty and love." The Olympians applauded. The women did so halfheartedly while the men, namely Apollo and Hermes stood up giving her a standing ovation.

Meanwhile, Gabriel was still not done yet with the Olympians. He came across a small valley full of beautiful and exotic plants and animals. There in the middle was a woman. Gabriel approached her before bowing.

"Lady Demeter," he said. She shrieked, startled before turning around and smiling.

"Gabriel! I did not expect to see you! I thought you had left!" Gabriel stood and returned her smile.

"I left Olympus, yes. But I am still very much a part of this world. And you my dear still hold a very important role to play. Walk with me would you?" Demeter immediately followed the former Olympian.

"What brings you here Gabe?"

"I have seen the future, or at least glimpses and unfortunately the world as we know it will end if we do not do something about it. Pan, my dear old friend, cannot possibly be able to protect nature as well as it should be since he is no longer an Olympian. You however, Demeter, have been chosen to fill the role within the council." Demeter was incredibly shocked. However Gabriel continued to talk to her and gave her encouragement and explained everything that she needed to do and what would need to happen with her as an Olympian.

Zeus and the other gods were once again in the Throne Room.. Another flash appeared and there stood Demeter.

"Demeter, can't you see we are in the middle of something? What is so important?" Zeus was beginning to grow incredibly annoyed. Hades and Poseidon had decided to make today a living nightmare for him and his conscience.

"I was visited by Gabriel, my lord." The gods once again looked shocked.

"Gabriel? He spoke to you?" Zeus asked. "What did he want from you? Why hasn't he contacted us?"

"He told me that I was to become Pan's replacement on the council as an Olympian. He said it was my birthright seeing as how, despite being much younger, I am still your sister. I am a daughter of Rhea as well." The council nodded absentmindedly. They all missed Gabriel greatly, none more so than Zeus, Hestia, and Artemis.

"Very well Demeter. If it is Gabriel's will then who are we to stand in his place?" Before Zeus could go any further Demeter spoke up.

"Gabriel also told me to give this to Hades," she said pulling out a letter. "And this to Hestia." She handed both letters to the gods just as curious as the rest.

Hades and Hestia read the letters silently before smiling and nodding.

"Well? What does it says?" Demanded Zeus. He was becoming jealous quickly.

"Gabriel has told us that it is time for another balancing act of power within the council," said Hestia.

"With so much power, Gabriel has said it is time for us to leave the council to be able to fulfil our own responsibilities," continued Hades. The gods were speechless.

"You are being told to step down and you're happy?!" Cried out Zeus incredulously.

"You know just how important it must be if Gabriel is demanding this of us, brother. We must do as he says." Zeus nodded sadly. He did not want to lose another brother and a sister as he did Gabriel. "Relax, brother," said Hestia. "We may not be Olympians but we will always be here. I have no other home but the hearth and this is the greatest of all," she said smiling. Zeus seemed a bit more relieved.

"And I still have to return for each solstice, brother. I won't be far." Zeus and the other Olympians nodded and smiled at the two willing siblings.

"Well then Hades and Hestia, I dismiss you from Olympus to go about your duties away from the responsibilities of the Olympians." Hades and Hestia smiled and walked to the center of the room. As they did so, their thrones disappeared and a new throne took its place. "Welcome Demeter, goddess of agriculture, fertility, and the harvest." This time each God and goddess gave Demeter a standing ovation.

Miles away in a distant land, Gabriel finally felt the world balance out. All was going according to plan.

 **A/N: Sorry about the first two chapters, I know they are both short and pretty boring. They are both necessary as a platform for showing who Gabriel is and how powerful he is. Next chapter will really be the launch for the story. Thanks for the reviews. Keep them coming! They are helpful for me in writing this story.**


	3. Chapter 3

Days went by. Those days turned into weeks, weeks into months, months into years, and soon, several centuries had gone by. Olympus had changed greatly. There were no longer only a few Olympians. Now there were major and minor gods, as well as powerful demigods roaming the world. Each god and goddess continued with their duties refusing to disappoint Gabriel; wherever he was.

It had been hundreds of years since Gabriel had left Olympus. The last anyone had seen of him he had helped the Olympians make the transition from Greek to Roman. Since then, nothing. Artemis and her huntresses had searched all throughout the world hoping for a trace, for a glimmer of hope that Gabriel was still around. Alas, they had come back empty handed. None of the gods could sense his presence. It was as if he had simply vanished. Of course, they knew that it was not possible, for without Gabriel the world would plunge into eternal darkness. Somehow, from somewhere, he was fulfilling his promises that he had made to the Olympians so many long years ago.

The Olympians were no longer revered the way they had been. Greece had fallen and Rome, the empire that seemed to be able to withstand the tests of time, had collapsed as well. However, the power and faith of the demigods and other beings helped keep the ancient deities alive. But things had changed. Olympus was no longer as grand as it had been before. Without Gabriel to help keep the family of gods in line, each had succumbed to their own desires and greed.

Zeus no longer remained the compassionate and humble ruler he had been. He was consumed with power, greed, jealousy, and glory. Hera grew bitter towards all demigods, primarily the children of Zeus, though none could truly blame her. Poseidon, angry and bitter towards his brother's egotism resorted to remaining in Atlantis unless dire needs called him back to Olympus. Hades and Hestia were completely cut off from Olympus. Despite the fact that they had willingly let go of their Olympian status, Zeus cast them off. Hestia was allowed on Olympus but was completely restricted in what she could do or say. Hades was forbidden to even show his face on Olympus except for the Winter and Summer solstices. Apollo and Hermes became wild and careless without a strong, firm hand keeping them in line. Artemis completely disengaged herself from the affairs of Olympus only returning if it was absolutely necessary. She and her hunters became fierce and frightening. They haunted the dreams of men throughout the entire world. Demeter, Aphrodite, Hephaestus, Ares, and Dionysus, who had become the last Olympian, had also grown weary of Zeus's arrogance. Olympus had become divided and over time wars broke out due to their greed and hostility towards each other.

Without anyone knowing Gabriel had continued to help keep the balance in all things. He guided Athena into making claim to the great city of Athens over Poseidon, however he guided ,and even helped physically, Sparta defeat Athens in the Peloponnesian War. In order to show Zeus and the other Olympians that their actions were doing much more harm than good, Gabriel guided Rome onwards to defeat and conquer Greece. However, the Olympians, namely Zeus, still had not learned their lessons.

Many, many years passed, and the Civil War broke out between the armies of Rome and Greece. Gabriel did not allow anyone to see his involvement but he too ended that war. Greece, predominantly siding with the Union, was given victory over Rome and the Confederacy. It was a necessary but brutal war.

Now the world was at a fragile peace. But Gabriel knew what was coming. War was returning; a war that the gods were not prepared for. Gabriel had a plan, but it would be dangerous. One false move could cause tremendous problems.

[LINEBREAK]

Sally Jackson glared at her hands. Wrappers and papers were sticking to her fingers after having worked so long with all the candy. Holding her hands as far away from her as possible, she walked over to the sink to rinse her hands off. Working at a candy shop was messy, but she loved her job. How could she not? She got all the free chocolate and candy she wanted whenever she wanted it. Life was great. Hard; but great.

The little bell at the door chimed and she quickly dried off her hands, scowling at the still sticky feeling on her fingers. She walked up to the front wiping her hands off on her apron when she saw the man at the door. She froze.

The man was tall. Not just taller than her, tall. He was easily six and a half feet tall. He was well built, very attractive, but that wasn't what caught her attention. It was his eyes. His eyes were a deep gold, like a swirling pot of molten gold. Her eyes glimmered for a second as though a speck of dust had found its way into her eye. She wiped it carefully, not wanting the candy residue infecting them. When she looked back at the man, she saw passed his eyes and into his true being.

"Wh-Who are you?" she whispered. The man smiled but ignored her question. He swept his dark hair out from his face before rubbing his beard.

"I'm simply passing through. I saw the sign and decided to come on in. I love chocolate, you see." Sally stayed rooted to her place, while the man knelt down to look into the counter to see the different selections of chocolate. "Mmm, Bordeaux. I don't know why but I have a strong love for Bordeaux. However, and I know this will sound crazy, but do you have any blue chocolate?" Sally stared before shaking her head and smiling.

"Blue? I think we have some of that." Sally turned and looked through the different jars of candy before coming back with a little candy in a blue wrapping. "That's my favorite kind. But who are you, my Lord?" The man turned to look at her, his eyes gazing into hers intently.

" _My Lord_ ," he said absentmindedly. "I am nobody's lord. I am simply a forgotten man with much to do. Tell me Sally Jackson," he said. She looked startled by the sound of her name. "Who do _you_ think I am?"

"Your eyes are golden. I sense an ancient power in you. Are you a god?" she asked. The man nodded and smiled.

"You are very wise, my dear. I am indeed a god. Originally I was from the ancient Greek pantheon, but now I am no longer tied down by any nation or group. I am simply the forgotten." The man conjured up two stools, as if to prove himself. Sally, for her part, did not jump but simply sat down following his lead. "My name is Gabriel. I am the god of balance. I guide the world and make sure that everything has a purpose in life and in death. Please do not bow," he said raising a hand to stop Sally as she was getting on her knees. "I hate it when people bow. I did not ask for this responsibility. I simply do what I am required to do. There is no need for bowing. I am not Zeus," he said with a smirk.

"What do you want from me, my L-I mean Gabriel?" Gabe smiled, impressed that she could regain her consciousness so soon after coming to terms with just who was standing in her shop.

"I have been watching you for many years, Sally. You have great potential. You can see through the mist that clouds the minds of mortals from the world of the gods." Gabriel sighed. "Times are changing. The Titans are regaining their strength through a power that is hidden even for me. I have seen my fate and know that I must be able to fight and stop this war. However, ancient laws prevent any god from interfering in the lives of mortals. That is where I need your help." Sally stared at him for several long minutes.

"What can I do?" Gabriel smiled and got up and placed his hands on her shoulders.

"I will bless you with a child. No," he said when she got a look of alarm. "I will not do anything physically to you. I will simply give you through my power and strength a child. He will have my memories and my power, my strength, and my blood. However, he will not recall any of this until the time is right. Most importantly, however, he will be considered a demigod. You do not need to go along with this. There are other ways to fulfill my plan, though this is by far the least likely to fail." Gabriel continued to look down at Sally. She stared into his eyes and saw his sincerity and his humility. She understood that this was what needed to be done.

"Will he be my son? Will I get to raise him and love him the way a mother should?"

"Of course! However, as a demigod of the oldest god in existence he, or rather I, will be an incredibly powerful demigod. That means that my scent will draw many, many monsters to your door." Gabriel turned to the corner of the room and waved his hand. A large golden plant appeared. "That is a special plant. You cannot smell it, but its scent will hide you and your son from the monsters that will wish to eat you. Do not ever remove it from its place for once it has been moved it will lose its scent completely." Sally nodded before she stood up. Gabriel nodded and stood up as well. He wrapped his jacket around himself and a hat appeared in his hands. Placing the hat on his head, he turned to walk out of the candy shop, popping the blue chocolate into his mouth.

"When will I see you again, Gabriel?" asked Sally. She wasn't even sure if this really wasn't just a large prank someone was pulling on her, or if she had drank too much last night and now was dealing with the consequences.

"You will be seeing me very soon, Sally. Just remember everything I have told you. Your son will have a great responsibility and he will need a strong mother to guide him." With that he smiled one last time and flashed away before her eyes.

Unbeknownst to her, her belly glowed a deep gold for a split second before going away as fast as it had come.

[LINEBREAK]

"Gabriel Perseus Jackson! Get back in here!" Percy flinched. It was never a good sign when his mom called him by his full name. He never went by his first name. It sounded too weird to him. He preferred Percy.

Percy cautiously walked into the living room of their apartment. He and his mom lived right above the candy shop that his mother owned. His mom, Sally Jackson, was sitting at the table holding up a piece of paper in her hand. She glared at her son when he walked in.

"You got expelled again?" she screamed incredulously.

"It wasn't my fault!" he tried to explain. "I just wanted to look at the cannon, but it went off and blew a giant hole in the bus! You look beautiful mom!" Percy kissed his mom quickly on her cheek. Sally's visible anger deflated. She was a complete sucker for compliments, especially those coming from her son. Percy looked at her with his deep green eyes. They were her eyes, yet they seemed to glow and different times. _Just like his father_ , she thought. _No that is him. He is the same person, just mortal now._

"Oh, Percy. What are we going to do now? This is the third time!" Percy had the decency to look ashamed.

"I'm sorry. I didn't mean to." Sally stood up and wrapped her arms around Percy's shoulders.

"I know. We just need to be more careful from now on." She ruffled his hair resulting in a scowl. She laughed, a sweet laugh, "oh don't give me that look. Go wash up. Dinner will be ready soon." Percy smiled and walked out of the living room towards the kitchen. Sally sat back down and looked at the letter.

Sighing, she ripped the letter and threw it away. _Time to look for a new school¸_ she thought. She hoped that soon Percy would be able to go to Camp Half-Blood. Gabriel had left a letter on the counter the day he left explaining everything about the world. When Percy turned 10 he would be able to go to camp and learn how to fight. Maybe then he would regain his memories and power.

Sally stood up and walked into the kitchen to get dinner. She loved her son and knew that the choice she had made 8 years ago had been the best decision she had ever made. Life was great for Sally and Percy Jackson.

[LINEBREAK]

Three years had gone by quickly. Percy was eleven years old, but still had not received any hint of his true self. Sally was confused as to why camp had not contacted her or sent a satyr over to her house to take Percy to camp. She looked at the letter in her hand, dreading opening it. It had the seal of Percy's current school. She broke the seal, and took the letter out.

Sure enough, Percy had been expelled once again. This time, however, the letter did not give a reason as to why. It simply said he had been expelled. Sally shook her head. Percy was going to have a lot of explaining to do. Just as she put the letter back on the table and walked into the kitchen a loud bang came from the door. She walked towards it and opened the door.

"Mom!" Percy said panting. His friend Grover was standing right behind him looking behind his back, his eyes darting back and forth in fright.

"What's wrong, sweetie? Come inside!" Percy and Grover ran into the house and immediately shut the door locking it. "Now tell me. What's going on?"

"I don't know! We were on a field trip at the museum when our teacher, Mrs. Dodds, suddenly attacked me! Grover and I ran all the way over here." Sally sat shocked. Maybe this was the day Percy would finally learn the truth.

"Mrs. Jackson, I think you know what to do," said Grover. Percy looked confused. Sally nodded and immediately ran to the kitchen and returned with the keys to her car.

"Come on, boys. We have to go now." Percy did not move.

"What's going on here?" he yelled.

"Percy there is no time, we have to get out of here." Grover grabbed Percy's arm and dragged him along. The three ran to the old car Sally kept in the alley. They got in and Sally quickly turned on the ignition and speed away.

Percy kept trying to ask Grover what was going on, but his friend just kept staring out the back of the car as if waiting for something to happen. Finally, Sally parked the car. Percy looked around. They were in the middle of nowhere. That was pretty impressive considering they were on Long Island.

"Where are we?" Percy asked. Sally shook her head.

"Follow Grover, Percy he will guide you. It's time for you to go. Go up that hill. You will find the place where you belong, my son. I love you!" Sally gave a very confused Percy a hug and got back in the car and drove away before Percy could say anything. Grover grabbed onto Percy again.

"Come on Perce. We have to make it back up that hill." Grover dragged Percy who was still staring blankly at the spot his mom had just been.

Suddenly a loud roar in the distance and a thunderous boom startled both of them. Percy turned with Grover and followed him up the hill. He had no idea what was going on, but he was not going to disobey his mother. If she told him to follow Grover, he was going to follow Grover.

 **A/N: Hello once again. I had a lot of free time so I decided to write the next chapter. I know it is short also but I just couldn't come up with more stuff to put in this chapter. Hope you enjoy it though. I know that the chapter is somewhat confusing but hopefully all your questions will be answered as the story progresses. I will try to make the next chapters much longer, but it is all depending on how much stuff I feel like I can put in a chapter before it becomes too much. Thanks for reading!**

 **Also there will be a poll on my profile about who the main antagonist should be. I have the story line and the plot done just can't decide who to make the main villain.**


	4. Chapter 4

Sweat rolled down Percy's cheek. Blood poured from his nose freely, and his lips were cracked and bruised. Every day since he had arrived at camp had been like this. He would wake up, eat breakfast, train, eat lunch, train, eat dinner, train, and then go to bed. Percy wasn't complaining, though. He loved the training. He loved feeling stronger, faster, and more durable each day. He still did not know who his godly parent was, though everyone knew he must be the son of a powerful god. He wasn't a child of the big three that much was obvious. He could not control lightning, breathe underwater, or communicate with lost souls. However, he was the most agile fighter. He was humble to a fault and seemed to know what was going to happen before it really did.

Percy shook his head to clear his mind. He was in the middle of the second game of capture the flag of the week. Training this week had been brutal. Clarisse and the rest of the Ares cabin had challenged him to duel after duel to test his strength. Luke trained him every day after breakfast with a new type of weapon. First came the spear, then the dagger, then the bow and arrow, and finally the sword and shield. Percy, however, came to realize that he could not find the right balance with any of those. Instead he found the perfect weapon in a great sword that was tucked away behind the rest of the weapons.

Percy crouched down behind a broken tree. The other team's flag was only a couple of yards ahead of him. He looked around and saw no obvious defenses, but considering the Athena cabin was leading the other team there could be a ton of other nasty surprises awaiting anyone that dared come close.

Deciding there was no other option, Percy walked out from behind his tree and calmly reached the flag. _So far so good_ , he thought. That's when he noticed something wasn't right. _To the right_ , came the voice in his head. Percy unsheathed his great sword from his back and twirled to his right. Just as he did so a figure dropped to the ground.

"Well, well, well. What do we have here? The new blood. The unclaimed." Percy stared at the girl. He recognized her but couldn't think of her name. She was a child of Athena, with blonde hair and grey eyes.

"And who are you, exactly?" asked Percy. His great sword never moved. It stayed trained right at the girl's heart.

Annabeth, Annabeth Chase," she said. She pulled out a dagger from her side and twirled it around. She wore leather armor, unlike Percy's steel. "We're alone now. Let's see just how good you really are." With that she lunged quickly, thrusting her dagger at Percy's chest.

Percy parried the thrust to the side before swinging his great sword. Annabeth ducked underneath before kicking Percy's left knee from the side. She was shocked and a little nervous when Percy simply flinched but never fell. He grinned a maniacal smile at her.

"I have perfect balance. You're going to need to do better than that." Annabeth growled and unleashed a furry of blows. _Thrust, lunge, slice, stab,_ nothing worked. Percy was simply too agile and too strong. In fact, it seemed as though he was toying with her.

Annabeth made one last desperate thrust straight at Percy's midsection. Percy was expecting it, however, and parried it with his sword before spinning to his left and driving a powerful elbow to Annabeth's temple. It wasn't a full blow as that would have killed her. Percy knew better and had pulled his strike enough so that it would not cause lasting harm.

With the last line of defense taken care of, Percy walked over to the flag and picked it up. Shouts came from behind the line of trees. _Shit,_ thought Percy. The other team must have realized something was up and they were all charging towards his position. Percy looked around hoping for a way out. Looking up, he sheathed his great sword and climbed up a tree, the flag clenched in his teeth. The other team finally made it to the clearing but could not find any sign of Percy or the flag. One of the Apollo campers must of noticed something because all of a sudden a barrage of arrows started flying into the trees. One flew past Percy's ear, nearly severing it from his head. Percy gulped and began climbing through the tree tops. Somehow, he never tripped. Each step he took was perfectly balanced and in no time he had made it back to his side. He dropped to the ground and he heard a horn blowing in the distance signaling the end of the game.

His team cheered and all rushed to lift him up. Chiron came galloping into the clearing, a broad smile gracing his face. Percy looked up from his place to smile back. Chiron had always seemed a close friend to Percy, though he did not really know why. It was as if he knew something Percy didn't. _Like who my father is_ , he thought.

"Congratulations, Percy, on the win! That's the first time in a decade that the Athena cabin has lost in capture the flag!" Percy and his team cheered again, while the Athena cabin scowled and grumbled. Percy noticed Annabeth wasn't there. He felt a little guilty about the hard hit, but didn't think too much about it. There is a time to go easy and that wasn't the time. "Now it's time for dinner, before we have the great bonfire." This time all the campers smiled and as a collective group, all walked towards their cabins to wash up for dinner.

Percy made his way to the Hermes cabin. As an unclaimed demigod he was placed in there. Not that he minded, though. He loved the humor and antics that living in the cabin provided. However, Percy was not a very outgoing person. He kept to himself mostly rarely engaging in pranks or bets.

The Hermes cabin was already full of campers by the time he made it there, and Percy had to literally push some people out of the way to be able to get to his bunk. Finding the chest to keep his stuff, Percy stripped off his armor and placed his sword by his bed. Putting on a comfortable shirt and jeans, he left the cabin and made his way to the dining area.

The dining area was already full seeing as how he was the last camper to arrive. He went to get his food, a chicken sandwich and some water, before going over to the fire. He scraped some of the chicken into the fire for the gods. _Father, whoever you are. Show yourself to me, please._ As the food burned, Percy felt oddly much more at peace. His bruises and cuts from the big game seemed to heal, but Percy didn't really notice. His stomach was growling. Playing capture the flag can do that to you.

The rest of the night passed by uneventful. Percy never went to the bonfire, he preferred to go to his bunk and get to bed early so that he could get to training before anybody else woke up. As he was walking up to the Hermes cabin, he heard trotting behind him. He turned and found Chiron making his up to him.

"Chiron, is there anything I can do for you?" asked Percy. Chiron inwardly smiled at the respectful young man.

"Yes my boy. I have something to give to you."

"What is it?" Percy was genuinely confused. Chiron pulled out a golden watch and handed it to him.

"Someone I knew quite well told me to give this to you when you proved yourself worthy to the rest of the camp. I would say that defeating the Athena cabin in capture the flag would warrant calling you worthy." Percy did not reach out for the watch.

"Who gave it to you?"

"I'm afraid I cannot say. I was sworn not to say anything until that person told me to. I swore it on the Styx. I am sorry but there is nothing I can say or do." Percy nodded sadly before taking the watch. It was beautiful, finely crafted, with an intricate face. Percy clasped it onto his wrist and immediately felt as though someone had smashed a brick into his head. He thought he heard Chiron yell his name, but all he saw was darkness. Soon he lost consciousness completely.

Percy's eyes slowly flickered open. He tried to look around but he was not in control of his body. _Must be a dream_ , he thought. Percy looked around his surroundings and saw a beautiful room. It looked to have been made entirely out of marble and gold. It was breathtaking.

"Gabriel!" he heard someone shout. _How do they know my first name?_ Percy wondered. He never told anybody about it. He turned and he could feel himself smiling. A little girl around nine years old with firey red hair came bounding up to him. He felt the girl cling to his leg and he reached down to ruffle her hair.

"Hestia, how are you?" The girl smiled warmly up at him.

"I'm good, Gabe. How are you?" Percy smiled and knelt down to be at Hestia's level.

"I am wonderful, now that you are here." Hestia smiled and kissed his cheek. A sound from the other side of the room got his attention. Percy turned and saw another figure standing there smiling. "Zeus, what brings you here?" Percy felt himself smile, but inside he was overcome with confusion. _What the hell is Zeus doing in my dream_ , screamed Percy, though no sound came out.

"We have trouble down in Greece. Gaea has awoken and her children are terrorizing Greece." Percy frowned. He couldn't quite remember who Gaea was exactly.

"Ah. The time has come then. Prepare the armies, Zeus. The time for the great war with the Giants has come." Percy saw Zeus nod and walk out of the room. He was completely shocked. He thought Zeus was the King of the Gods and yet here he was taking orders from him of all people. _This is some really weird dream_. Percy looked back down at Hestia who had now turned from a nine year old to an adult. "Hestia, you have your duties to perform. We will need the hope that the hearth can provide if we are to win this war." Hestia nodded, kissed Percy's cheek, and left the room. Percy walked over to the wall and noticed a mirror. He looked at the mirror and was stunned. It really was him. Or at least it was what he would look like if he were much older. The eyes were different, he noticed. Where his eyes were deep green, this Gabriel guy had golden eyes.

The world turned black and Percy felt his mind pull away from the dream. Actually, he wasn't even sure if was a dream anymore. It felt more like a memory.

Percy finally came to and looked around the room he was in. Finally, his body responded to his mind. _I must finally be awake_ , he thought. A cough from beside him drew his attention. Chiron was sitting in his wheelchair staring fearfully at him.

"Percy! You're awake! You had us all worried." Percy frowned at the full out relief he heard in Chiron's voice.

"What happened?" Percy finally seemed to recognize where he was. He was in the special room in the back of the infirmary reserved solely for special cases.

"You put the watch and all of a sudden you collapsed to the ground. I brought you back as fast as I could. The Apollo cabin has been working all night at keeping you healthy and alive. You nearly left us, Percy. Your life force was fading away." Percy laid his head back down on the pillow and sighed. After a moment he forced himself to sit up. His eyes felt goopy. He rubbed his eyes out, and when they felt good and normal he turned to look back at Chiron.

Chiron gasped, his eyes widening. Percy looked at him confused.

"Your eyes. Your eyes, Percy!" Percy just stared at him, it wasn't as though he could see his own eyes. "They have a ring of gold around them now!" Percy's eyes widened.

"It wasn't just a dream," he muttered under his breath. Unfortunately, Chiron's other half heard it.

"What wasn't just a dream, Percy?" Percy looked at him and sighed. He slung his legs over the side of the bed so he could face his mentor.

"I woke up, after I collapsed, in a golden room. I couldn't control myself. My thoughts were my own, but my body wasn't." Chiron nodded, not making any comments. "Suddenly a little girl called me Gabriel and ran up to me. My dream self called her Hestia. Isn't Hestia a goddess?" asked Percy. Chiron's eyes widened once more but he managed to nod. "Well then Zeus came in and told me that Gaea, whoever that is, was attacking Greece. Then I told him to get the armies together because it was time for the war with the Giants." Chiron's eyes were transfixed on Percy's. "Wasn't that war thousands of years ago?" Chiron nodded. "Ok then. Well then Hestia and Zeus left and I looked into the mirror and it was my face, but much older, and I had golden eyes. I guess it wasn't just a dream. It was a memory wasn't it?" Chiron nodded slightly.

"You really are Gabriel. I thought I recognized you, but its been so long." Percy still was confused.

"Who is this Gabriel? Er-I guess I should ask, who am I?"

"If you really are Gabriel then you are the oldest of the children of Kronos. Hestia wasn't the oldest. You were. Then came Hestia, then Hades, Posiedon, Zeus, Demeter, and then Hera. Gabriel is the god of balance. He kept the gods in line and made sure everything served its purpose." Chiron thought for a moment. "You know, everything makes sense now. Your incredible sense of balance, the fact that you are incredibly agile and a great fighter. Those were all qualities of Gabriel. He was a wonderful god."

"Why haven't I ever heard of him?" Chiron frowned.

"After the Giant War, Gabriel realized that in order to keep the world in balance he needed to remove himself from Olympus. He stepped down as an Olympian. He was always close with Zeus and Hestia, Artemis too if I remember correctly. Last time anyone saw him was years ago. He trained me actually. Gave me my immortality to train heros." Percy was shocked. The more Chiron talked the more he felt as if he was talking about himself.

"So whose watch is this? I collapsed after I put this on." Chiron shook his head.

"I still cannot tell you until I hear the person itself tell me I can." Percy nodded but shrugged.

"So am I still a demigod or am I a full god?"

"You're a demigod. I don't know how but Gabriel managed to make himself into a demigod; into you. I guess as time goes on you'll keep finding more memories as to who you are. Percy nodded. He looked at the small bedside table beside him. His watch and his clothes were neatly placed on top. Chiron began wheeling himself out of the room.

"I'll let you get to it. Busy day today. You've got a lot of training with Luke today." Percy waved goodbye. He took off the gown that he was placed in and put on his clothes. Thankfully, the shirt and jeans were not messed up or dirtied when he collapsed last night. He looked down at the watch, staring for a couple minutes watching the second hand tick. He put the watch on and half expected to collapse again. Instead he felt a rush go through his body up his arm and then into his head. Suddenly another wave of memories rushed into his mind. Not many but a few.

"I am Gabriel," he said to no one in particular. He looked at the watch turned the little dial on the side, not pulling it out, just turning it. He didn't expect anything to happen. He was shocked and shrieked slightly. He looked around to make sure no one was watching. In his hand was now a beautiful molten gold sword. It was the exact same color as Gabriel's eyes, and the ring of gold around his eyes. It wasn't the same style as the typical Grecian swords. It didn't even look like the swords that he had seen in books on the Romans. He never actually read the books, his ADHD was too bad. He just liked the pictures.

Percy made his way out of the infirmary and looked down at his watch. 12:30. It was lunch time. After lunch he made his way to his cabin to change into more comfortable combat clothes. He put on his armor and walked to the arena. Luke was waiting for him.

"Percy! Heard you had a little fall yesterday, you ok man? Woah! Your eyes! I like the gold!" Luke was always hyperactive, the curse of being a son of Hermes. Percy just smiled.

"I'm fine. Just hit my head. I don't know why my eyes changed. Must be because of the incident." He didn't know why but it just didn't seem like a good idea to reveal the information he had just learned that morning. "You ready to train?" Luke smiled, but his smile faded quickly.

"Where's your sword, Perce?" Percy smirked and turned the dial on his watch. The sword sprang to life in his right hand. Luke eyed the sword in awe.

"I thought you hated swords like that." Percy shook his head.

"This is a long sword. I can use one or two hands. But it's the most perfectly balanced weapon I have ever used. It's perfect." Luke nodded before unsheathing his own sword.

Hours later both demigods made their way back to the cabin to shower. Neither said a word. They were too exhausted to talk. The training had been incredibly intensive. While they were walking though, they heard a shout before a loud horn was sounded. Chiron came bounding out of the Great House and galloped past them.

"Chiron, what's going on?" shouted Percy after him. Chiron didn't respond. Percy and Luke shrugged at each other and took off after the centaur. They made it to the hill where they saw the great tree that grew at the top. Many of the campers were staring at each other whispering loudly. Chiron was talking to Argus. Percy finally noticed what everyone was talking about. The tree was dying. Black ooze was dripping out of a notch in the side of the tree.

"Campers!" Chiron shouted, getting everyone's attention. "The tree is dying. Someone has poisoned the tree. If anyone knows anything come see me immediately. We are having a meeting at the Big House in ten minutes. Camp counselors be sure to be there." Chiron galloped away towards the Big House. Percy turned back to Luke.

"You better go and see what's going on." Luke nodded and turned and ran after Chiron. A couple other campers, the other counselors, ran after Luke. The remaining campers just looked at each other, some at the tree, and others just walked back to their cabins. Percy, still smelling like Pegasus manure, decided it definitely was time to go back and wash up.

Quite a while passed before a tired looking Luke returned to the Hermes cabin. Percy was the only one there.

"What's going on Luke? What happened?"

"Chiron wants you immediately in the Big House. Something big is going on. Clarisse is in the attic talking with the Oracle." Percy's eyes widened but he got up and went to the Big House while Luke stayed to clean up for dinner.

When Percy got to the Big House he found all the camp counselors were still sitting around the meeting table. Well it was actually a ping pong table. Percy laughed when he saw Grover sitting in the corner eating ping pong balls and soda cans.

"Percy, I'm glad Luke found you. Clarisse just told us of a prophecy she received. Clarisse?" Clarisse stood up from her spot and nodded.

" _You will not travel the sea alone._

 _Together the thief, the spear, and the forgotten,_

 _Shall travel to make what they seek their own._

 _But one will be lost, to a heart most rotten."_

The campers and Chiron sat still and pondered the prophecy.

"Well it is obvious," said Clarisse. "There will be three of us going on this quest. The spear obviously refers to me." Everyone nodded. "Luke must be the thief. It makes sense, since he is a son of Hermes."

"I agree," said Chiron. "Annabeth, could you go to the Hermes cabin and get Luke?" Percy noticed Annabeth sitting in the Athena chair for the first time. She scowled.

"Why can't Golden Boy over there go and get him? Its his cabin." Chiron gave her a disapproving look. She rolled her eyes and sighed, but she got up anyways and walked out to find Luke. Chiron looked back at Percy and winked, a smile on his face. Percy had to contain his smile. Annabeth had no clue just how close to the truth she was.

"Well we have the thief, the spear, but who is the forgotten?" asked Clarisse. The other counselors looked confused as well. Chiron smiled and looked at Percy.

"I believe I know who the third hero is." Clarisse and the others, even Percy looked at him confused. "Percy is the forgotten." Percy glared at him. He didn't want anyone to know about him being the manifestation of an ancient god. He didn't even know what or who he was, and he sure as hell didn't want anybody else to know.

"How is he the forgotten?" asked Clarisse. She didn't actually have a problem with Percy. He was a skilled fighter and his humility kept him from having any enemies. Except for the child of Athena, but hubris was her fatal flaw.

"Well he is the most skilled warrior here apart from you and Luke, and he hasn't been claimed by his godly parent." The counselors all seemed to accept that. Even Percy would have believed him if he didn't know the full truth.

"Then its settled," said Clarisse. "Luke, Prissy," Percy scowled playfully at her. "And I will leave tomorrow at dawn. We obviously have to go out to sea." Chiron clapped his hands together to get everyones attention again.

"Well everyone go to dinner and get to bed. You all have a big day tomorrow." Just as they all were walking out, Annabeth returned with Luke.

"What's going on, what did I miss?" asked Luke. Percy waved him towards him.

"I'll tell you. We've got a lot to do." Luke and Percy walked back to the cabin, Percy telling Luke about the prophecy. They finally made it to the cabin and both wished each other good night.

Percy laid in bed staring at the ceiling. What a day it had been. First, he had uncovered some lost memories. Instead of being the lonely demigod that some god had forgotten about, he was actually an ancient god older than Zeus himself. He didn't know how it was possible but decided that he would just have to figure things out as he went. Then came the tree. The tree that kept Camp Half-Blood safe and secure was dying. If they didn't find someway to save the tree monsters would come pouring into camp and there wouldn't be any safe place for the demigods to live and train. The last thing to happen was that Percy was named one of the heroes of the quest. He hoped he didn't fail or let his friends down. This was finally his chance to prove himself outside of capture the flag.

Yes, his life had taken a sudden and drastic turn, but he finally felt at peace. The world felt right and for the first time since he had come to camp, Percy had a good nights rest.

 **A/N: Sorry this chapter came out a little later. It is much longer than the previous chapters, so I hope you all enjoy! I posted the chapter earlier but something went wrong. Thanks for the reviews and the follows and favorites, it means a lot to me! I might actually post another chapter today as well. Thanks for reading!**

 **Also, sorry about the poll. I did not realize there was a separate option to put it on my profile page. Well it's up now so I hope all of you reading this will go there and vote. And keep coming with the reviews! All of them are appreciated!**


	5. Chapter 5

Percy woke up early again. He rolled himself out of bed and looked at his clothes. He had been so tired from the long day before that he had gone to bed in his shirt and combat leggings. He simply shrugged and got up to get his things together. He grabbed his backpack from under his bed and put a water bottle, a demigod emergency pack, and extra clothes. He found his watch and his sunglasses on top of his chest. He quickly put them on and felt surprisingly alert and refreshed after putting his watch on. _Must have some godly powers,_ he thought.

He went into the bathroom to brush his teeth and comb his hair before he went over to Luke's bunk. Luke was sleeping in what Percy could only assume was the most uncomfortable position ever. Luke's face was squashed into his pillow while his butt was held high up in the air. It was a perfect downward dog yoga position. Percy smirked before he started poking Luke in the face.

"One mer sercernd merm," mumbled Luke. Percy couldn't help himself and he let out a laugh, before he quickly covered his mouth so he wouldn't wake the others. When he finally got himself under control he shoved Luke's butt. Luke jumped up startled.

"Percy!" he hissed. His hair was in all directions and Percy could see a small trace of drool coming out of his mouth. "What the hell was that for?" Percy held up a finger to his mouth before he tapped on his watch. Luke seemed to get the idea and quickly got up and got his things together.

Deciding it would be better to wait for Luke outside, Percy slung his backpack on, put his shoes on, and walked outside to sit on the porch of the Hermes cabin. The sun was just beginning to come out from behind the trees, casting the camp in an ethereal glow. Percy closed his eyes and soaked in the familiar warmth of the sun. Dawn and dusk were his favorite times of the day. It was when the sun and moon were equal in power. Percy opened up his eyes quickly. _What was it that Chiron said? Gabriel is the god of balance?_ It made complete sense then that Percy loved this time of day. He already knew that he had an extraordinary sense of balance and agility, but he never realized that everything in his life would be affected by that.

Percy looked down at his watch once again. It was 5:50. He was supposed to meet Clarisse, Argus, and Chiron by the tree at 6:15 sharp. Deciding that there was no hope in waiting for Luke, he ran to the dining area to grab a quick bite to eat before heading over to the meeting place. When Percy stood above the offering fire, he thought of who to offer up his food to. He knew now that he was, or at least used to be, a god. He shrugged and scraped some of his eggs into the fire. _For Gabriel._ Instantly, Percy felt completely renewed. The eggs did not even seem appetizing anymore. He felt as if he was floating on air. _I really am Gabriel!_ Percy smiled to himself. However, he knew that he was still a demigod and needed his nutrition. So he sat down at the Hermes table and began to eat.

At 6:10 he got up and walked the five minutes to the tree. The others, except for Luke were already there. Clarisse was busy going over some documents and plans with Argus, probably about what they were planning on doing. Chiron trotted over to him.

"Are you ready for your first quest?" he asked. Percy just smiled.

"I feel ready for anything actually. I feel amazing this morning." At Chiron's questioning look, Percy just mouthed _later_ and held up his watch. Chiron understood immediately and gave Percy a knowing smile.

"Prissy, where's Luke?" said Clarisse as she looked up from the first time from her plans. Percy gave her a playful scowl.

"He's-ri."

"Right here!" yelled Luke, cutting Percy off. The group gave the panting son of Hermes an amused look. "Perce! You were supposed to wait for me!" Percy shrugged.

"Not my fault you get ready like a woman." Everyone laughed as Luke's face fell comically. Even Clarisse laughed at the joke, giving Percy a fist bump. Luke, though, smiled quickly and lunged for Percy putting him in a head lock. Percy laughed and elbowed Luke in the chest. Clarisse had to hold her sides from laughing so hard at Luke who was now moaning on the ground. "Oh get up. You look stupid." Luke glared at Percy for the second insult but he got up anyways.

"You'll get what's coming to ya, Golden boy." Percy rolled his eyes.

"Well if you ladies are done flirting," said Clarisse. She was rewarded by dark glares from both boys. "Let's get going. Argus is going to drive us to drive us south towards Baltimore where we will take a ship to the Bermuda Triangle. Save your questions, you can ask when we get in the van." Luke and Percy both had questions but wisely held off.

After everyone shook hands with Chiron they started walking down the hill to where Argus's van was parked. Percy felt a glimmer of nostalgia. The last time he had been here had been when his mom had dropped him off. He still did not know what happened to his teacher that had attacked him or what became of the loud roar he had heard that one day. He knew his mom was alright, she sent him letters frequently. He made a mental note to ask his mother about how she had become pregnant with him and who his father was.

The second the doors to the van shut, Clarisse was bombarded with questions from the two boys.

"Shut up!" she yelled. "One at a time! I can't answer every question all at once!"

"Why are we going to the Bermuda Triangle?" asked Luke. Percy nodded, he wanted to know the same thing.

"Well after you girls went to bed last night Chiron and I stayed up planning this quest. We came across some journals that hinted that the Golden Fleece was located somewhere in the Bermuda Triangle." Luke's mouth widened but he nodded. Percy was just confused.

"What the hell is a gold fleece?" The other two demigods just looked at him.

" _The_ Golden Fleece belonged to Chrysomallus, the golden winged ram. Phrixus had escaped along with his sister on Chrysomallus since their stepmother had tried to kill them. Then Phrixus sacrificed Chrysomallus to Poseidon and hung the Golden Fleece on a tree that was sacred to my father. The fleece was guarded by a dragon, but somehow a giant cyclops stole it and took it to his island. We think that his island is somewhere in the Bermuda Triangle." Percy nodded at Clarisse's explanation.

"But why would it be in the Bermuda Triangle?" Clarisse just rolled her eyes.

"'Cause the Bermuda Triangle is also known as the Sea of Monsters to us demigods." Percy's eyes widened. He had heard about the Sea of Monsters. Those that ventured there never returned.

Hours went by and they eventually made to Baltimore. Argus told them goodbye and drove back to camp. The three demigods looked around trying to find where they could go unseen to embark for the Sea of Monsters. Clarisse lead them towards the coast when they heard a loud roar. Percy flinched. It was the same roar that he had heard the day he was dropped off at camp. Clarisse pulled out her spear and readied herself. Luke also pulled out his own sword and looked around. Percy just stood there staring. Training in camp was one thing, but preparing to fight a real breathing monster was different.

Clarisse noticed Percy's hesitation and whacked him on the shoulder with the butt of her spear. Percy shook out of his daze and nodded his thanks. He turned the dial of his watch and his familiar sword sprang to life. Just as Percy readied himself, an enormous beast emerged from the trees back from where they had come. The beast was tall and stood on its hind legs. It was covered in hair and had two large horns on the top of its head. _The minotaur_ , thought Percy. _Oh shit._ The minotaur focused its eyes on the three demigods and tilted its head up and roared.

Percy's left arm twinged from where his watch was. He looked down and saw a light glow coming from it. He tapped the watch with a finger and a shield of the same color as his sword sprang to life.

"Wicked shield, Perce!" said Luke. Even Clarisse had to admit that the shield was incredible. Percy smirked and turned to face the minotaur. The beast lowered its head like a bull and charged at top speed towards the demigods. Clarisse and Luke jumped to the side but Percy stood rooted in place.

"Percy!" shouted the two. Percy ignored them and ran at the minotaur. Just as its horns were about to impale him, Percy swung his shield hard to defend himself. He heard a loud crack, like a tree trunk being ripped off its trunk. Wasting no time he twisted his body and brought down his sword with as much power as he could muster. With one stroke the minotaur's head rolled clear off its body. Percy expected himself and his sword to be covered in blood but instead of seeing red there was only dust. Then the minotaur faded out of existence. Percy just stared at the spot.

"What the hell just happened?" he asked the two wide-eyed demigods. Clarisse shook her head to clear her mind and walked towards him.

"You just killed the minotaur that's what!" Percy knew that, that wasn't what he was asking about.

"I know that," he said. "I meant why did it just disappear?"

"When you kill a monster it dissolves into dust and returns to Tartarus. Then it reforms after many years and returns to the world to try and kill again," said Luke, finally coming out of is shock.

"Well that sucks. Does that mean that this is the same minotaur that Theseus killed in the Labyrinth?" Clarisse nodded smiling. Percy shivered at the bloodthirsty smile.

"Yep. And that's only the beginning. Get ready Prissy. We are going to be hunting down many more powerful and dangerous monsters." Percy just frowned but shrugged. It didn't really matter. He knew that as a demigod that this would be his responsibility and he wasn't going to back down from the challenge. "Come on. We have a long ways to go and we haven't even found a ship yet." Luke followed Clarisse but Percy noticed something on the ground. He returned his sword and shield back to his watch and looked down.

The loud crack he had heard was the minotaur's horn being broken off and there it was laying in the grass. Percy picked it up and put it in his backpack as a memento of the first monster he had killed. Noticing he was being left behind he rushed to catch up.

The demigods finally made it to the coast but unfortunately there were no ships in sight. Clarisse slammed her spear into the ground cursing in ancient Greek. Luke just sat down and began fiddling with his sword. Percy was about to join Luke when a flash before them startled them. All three jumped to their feet. Clarisse's spear was fixed on the spot as were Luke's and Percy's swords. When the light faded away, a figure stood on the beach in front of them. Clarisse's eyes grew big and she immediately dropped down to her knee in a bow. Luke seemed to understand who it was too and followed her lead. Deciding he did not want to be left out, Percy bowed as well.

"Well done you three," came the voice. It was deep and burly. "You took care of that beast quickly and efficiently." Clarisse looked up and smiled, standing back up. Luke stood up as well and so did Percy.

"It wasn't us, father. It was all Percy." Clarisse seemed pained in admitting that she hadn't been the one to kill the monster. _Father_ , realized Percy. Clarisse had said father. This man must be Ares, the god of war. Percy's eyes widened in realization.

"Ah then well done, punk. You did well. At least for a demigod. Tell me, who is your godly parent?" Percy finally found his voice.

"I do not know, my Lord." Ares frowned and looked into Percy's eyes. He seemed to recognize something about Percy but could not put his finger on it.

"Hmm. Very well then. Now for the reason why I am here. You three need a way to reach the Sea of Monsters. I will give you a ship, but do not tell anyone. Zeus does not take kindly to gods interfering with their kid's lives." Ares turned around and snapped his fingers. Instantly there was a rather large ship in the water. Percy looked closely and could just make out the words _CSS Birmingham_ on the hull of the ship before his dyslexia became too much to bear. The demigods thanked Ares profusely before he flashed away. The demigods boarded the ship and were surprised to see another figure was waiting for them.

"Ah Luke, I have been waiting for you." Luke frowned a little before bowing hesitantly.

"Father," he said. It came out more as a grumble than anything else. Hermes frowned while the two other demigods bowed as well.

"I know you do not trust me, son, but I cannot be there for you or your siblings as much as I want. Zeus is too powerful to go against." Luke frowned again but sighed and nodded.

"I understand. I am glad to see you, though." Hermes brightened up immensely and the demigods stood back up. "So what brings you here?" Hermes smirked and pulled out a small container.

"This here holds the power of the winds. Be careful and don't open it all at once because the power that this container holds is too great. If you open it just a little at a time it will help you guys get to the Sea of Monsters." The demigods thanked Hermes for his help and averted their eyes as he flashed away. Percy gave his two friends a sad smile.

"You two are lucky. I wish I knew who my father was." Luke clasped him on the shoulder and even Clarisse managed a sad smile.

"Don't worry, bro. You and me are brothers from now on. You stay in the Hermes cabin for as long as you like." Percy smiled at Luke, full of thanks.

"Gross, get a room." Percy and Luke both punched Clarisse in the arm making her laugh. They decided to explore the ship to get acquainted with it. Below deck, was a large room with three beds and a small kitchen already stocked. The demigods smiled and unpacked their things. Clarisse decided that she would get some rest since she hadn't slept at all since the day before. It took all of Percy's will power to prevent Luke from drawing on her face with a sharpie.

"I'm starved. I'm going to get something to eat. Want anything, Perce?" asked Luke. Percy shook his head.

"No thanks. I'm going to go look around." Luke shrugged and went to the kitchen and began to engorge himself. Percy had no idea how he could eat so much and yet stay fit and healthy. Percy felt like getting some alone time. When he had lived with his mother it had been nice getting his own room and having time to himself. He loved the Hermes cabin, but being surrounded by so many people all the time took a lot out of him. Percy walked back up to the top deck and walked towards the port side. It was only around 11 in the morning but seeing as how they had already done quite a bit it felt as though it was late at night. The sun was shining brightly overhead, the light reflecting across the water.

Off in the distance, Percy could see that a storm was brewing. It was just their luck. They had made great time so far, but now they were going to be delayed. Percy heard wood creaking behind him and turned to see Luke making his way towards him.

"What's up Perce?" Luke joined him resting his forearms on the rail of the ship.

"Just watching. There's a storm brewing. We won't be able to sail today. We should probably get some rest or just go over our plans." Luke squinted off towards the edge of his line of sight.

"I don't see anything. How do you know that there's a storm brewing?" Percy shrugged, his eyes never leaving the ocean.

"I don't know. Just feel it I guess." Luke gave him a funny look.

"Are you sure you're not a son of Poseidon? You have sea green eyes and can feel a storm brewing off in the distance." Percy laughed, though it sounded a bit hollow.

"I'm sure. I know I'm not a son of Poseidon. I can't breathe underwater remember?" Luke frowned but nodded. "We should get below deck. We don't want to get caught out here." Together the boys went back below deck. Luke gave Percy another funny look. "What?" asked Percy, tired of the weird looks.

"How old are you, Perce? You act like your my age but I know you're not." Percy just smiled.

"I'm eleven," he said. Luke just shook his head.

"Eleven and already more mature than almost anybody at camp. I'm so disappointed." Percy just grinned at him. They walked back into the room they were staying in and were shocked to find Clarisse missing. They looked at each other and shrugged.

"Maybe she went to the bathroom," said Luke. Percy went over to the kitchen to eat. Clarisse came back into the room from a side room.

"Bathroom," she said at their looks. She sat down at the table with Percy and pulled out a roll of paper. She unrolled it and Percy noticed the intricate patterns of a map. Suddenly a loud bang was heard from outside. Clarisse jumped but Percy just shook his head.

"It's just a storm," he said. She calmed down and returned to her studying.

"Tomorrow will be a long day," she said. "According to the map we should be passing through some pretty dangerous areas of the ocean. Maybe if we don't offer something to Poseidon he will grant us safe passage."

"How long will it take to make it to the Sea of Monsters?" asked Luke.

"If we use the gift your dad gave us then we can make it there tomorrow afternoon at the earliest." Another bang sounded overhead. "Well it definitely looks like we won't be going anywhere today," said Clarisse. Luke gave Percy a pointed look. Percy smiled into his cup.

The next morning the demigods woke up bright and early. The storm had raged on for most of the night so none of them really got any sleep. All of them went up top and Clarisse, as the leader of the quest, took control of the ship. Soon they were speeding away towards Florida. Percy and Luke kept themselves busy by sparring and doing some chores to make sure the ship was in perfect shape.

They continued to sail for several hours before they saw an island in the distance.

"Look!" cried out Percy, pointing, Clarisse and Luke looked to see what he was talking about but they saw nothing.

"What are you talking about, Perce? There's nothing there." Percy rubbed his eyes and sure enough the island was still there. He looked up at where Apollo was doing his solar duties. _Must be getting sun stroke,_ he thought.

"I'm just going to go get something to drink." The others seemed to think this was a good idea. Percy went below deck and poured himself some fresh water from the barrel in the kitchen. Then he heard a shout from up above.

"Prissy, get your ass up here!" Percy rolled his eyes but went back up nonetheless.

"What?" he asked Clarisse when he came up. She just pointed a shaking hand out over the water. Percy turned and what he saw turned his blood cold.

 **A/N: One last chapter tonight. Hope you guys love the story so far. Keep coming with the reviews. It's awesome knowing people love my story. Thanks for reading and keep on reviewing.**


	6. Chapter 6

Percy went below deck and poured himself some fresh water from the barrel in the kitchen. Then he heard a shout from up above.

"Prissy, get your ass up here!" Percy rolled his eyes but went back up nonetheless.

"What?" he asked Clarisse when he came up. She just pointed a shaking hand out over the water. Percy turned and what he saw turned his blood cold. They had made great time and had finally reached the outskirts of the Sea of Monsters. However, in order to enter, they had to pass through two giant rock formations. What was truly frightening was the large spout of water and whirlpool right in front of them. There was no way around it. They had to go through it to make it to the rock formations.

The worst part was the second Percy looked at the water, the whirlpool ended and the spout of water recessed. Percy looked at the others.

"That can't be good." They shook their heads. Percy and Luke let the sails down slightly to be able move at a cautious speed. Clarisse didn't open the canister with the wind in it for fear it would make things worse for them. Suddenly the water exploded in front of them and a giant creature leaped out in front of them. It was a massive monster that didn't even seem to be any sort of combination. It wasn't a hydra or a leviathan. It just looked like a giant human organ.

"Man the cannons!" shouted Clarisse. To all of their surprise, the ship maneuvered itself into battle formation, cannons locked and loaded and pointed directly at the monster. The creature released such a loud roar that the demigods had to cover their ears in pain. "Fire!" Instantly the cannons came to life. The fire spewing from the ends like a symphony. The ship had truly been enchanted for the creature collapsed in a spray of dust and the seas were calm once more.

"What the Hades was that?" cried out Percy. Luke had been teaching him all about Greek curses. This felt like the right time for one.

"I think that was the Charybdis, the child of Poseidon and Gaea," said Clarisse. Her eyes never strayed from the ocean. They were approaching the rock formations. "If it was it means that wasn't even the worst part. Scylla is said to live across from her. Those most be their giant rocks." Percy was confused. He had never heard of a Scylla. Thankfully Luke asked about it before he could look like an ignorant idiot again.

"What's the Scylla?" asked Luke. Percy didn't nod. He didn't want to look stupid.

"A legendary sea monster. According to legend when sailors tried to avoid Charybdis, they would go too close to Scylla and she would devour them. Apparently she was a naiad that Poseidon fell in love with but his wife got jealous and poisoned her," said Clarisse. Percy nodded but inside his stomach clenched. Hearing those words jogged his memory a little and he seemed to recall seeing a picture of Scylla in a book back at camp. It had looked so terrifying that he refused to believe it actually existed. Not everything in Greek mythology was real… was it?

However scared the demigods were they knew they had no choice. They had to make it into the Sea of Monsters and the only way would be to go through Scylla's rocks. The _Birmingham_ continued forward. The wind died down and even the waves seemed to be calm. The closer they got to the rocks the tighter their stomachs clenched. The tension became so thick that the demigods began sweating profusely. They kept as still as possible. None of them wanted to take their weapons out for fear that it would attract the monster.

"Hmmm," came a low hiss. "Little demigods passing through. Tastyyyyy." The voice sent shivers down Percy's spine. Clarisse tried to find the canister but it was on a table too far away. She would never be able to reach it without drawing the Scylla towards her and her spear was below deck. Luke's hand itched closer and closer to his side where his sword was sheathed. A shadow overhead leaped from the rocks and landed onto the ship. Percy felt his stomach fall.

Scylla was the most terrifying thing he had ever seen. She had the head of a beautiful woman but instead of legs she had twelve tentacles like a kraken. And to make matters worse she had five dog heads on her waist growling and foaming at the mouth.

"What brings such tasty looking halflings to me?" she asked. Her voice was even more terrible than her appearance. It sounded like fingernails being dragged across a chalkboard followed by forks scraping on a table. Percy physically shivered. "Oh don't be scared, child. I will make your death quick." She smiled a terrible smile. Her teeth were the whitest Percy had ever seen but they did not look human. They looked like the fangs of an empousai. There was no point in trying to hide. Luke unsheathed his sword, Backbiter. Clarisse ducked behind some boxes, hoping to make it below so she could get to her spear. Percy turned his watch and twisted his wrist. His gleaming sword and shield sprang to life. What he didn't expect was for the Scylla to flinch and hiss at it.

"What sorcery is this?" she hissed. "Who are you, demigod?" Percy just smirked. Humble be damned.

"You're worst nightmare." With that he charged the beast. The Scylla shrieked and met him head on. Luke, not wanting to be left out, charged the Scylla from the side. Clarisse finally made it to her spear and soon was fighting along with her friends. The electricity from her spear quickly numbed the tentacles of the monster, but unfortunately it did little in slowing her down.

Percy ducked underneath a tentacle, slicing upwards. It didn't completely sever the appendage but it caused a sickly green ooze to come pouring out. The Scylla screamed and clawed at Percy. Raising his left arm, Percy blocked her claws from scraping his neck, but one of the dog heads caught his right arm and bit down hard. Percy yelled in pain, dropping his sword. Using the Scylla's pleasure as a distraction, Clarisse and Luke simultaneously stabbed and cut the Scylla. She shrieked and clutched her wounds. She backed up further and further away from the demigods before tripping over the side of the ship and plummeted into the water.

"Luke! Get Percy down below and help him! I'll get us the Hades away from here," shouted Clarisse already running to the helm. Luke picked up the little demigod and carried him below deck. Percy was in tears from the pain. The dog had bitten clear to the bone. Blood was pouring down his arm, puddling on the floor. Luke placed Percy carefully on the table in the kitchen and ran to find the ambrosia and nectar that they had packed. He finally found some in Percy's bag but when he turned Percy was convulsing. His body was shaking and foam began to pour out from his mouth. Luke ran to his side and popped an ambrosia square into his mouth followed by some nectar. Percy tried to spit the godly food and drink out but Luke clamped his hand over his mouth and tickled Percy's throat.

"Come on, Perce! Eat!" Soon Percy's seizures calmed and Luke saw that his arm had stopped bleeding. Believing him to be safe to leave alone, Luke searched the kitchen for some towels. He found one and dunked it into the water barrel before wrapping Percy's arm in it. Percy finally calmed down and Luke could tell that the little demigod had fallen asleep. Luke collapsed onto the bed staring at his friend.

He heard someone coming down the steps and turned to see Clarisse coming towards him, her face deathly pale.

"Is he alright?" Luke nodded.

"He'll be fine. I got him to finally eat some ambrosia and nectar. His arm stopped bleeding. Poor guy." Clarisse nodded to herself.

"Well we finally passed the rocks. We are in the Sea of Monsters. Now we just need to find where the Golden Fleece is." Luke walked over to where a small window was facing outwards. The sun was setting in the distance.

"We should get some rest. We don't know what kind of trouble we are going to run into tomorrow. We nearly lost Percy today and that was just getting here." Clarisse agreed and helped Luke put Percy into his bed. Locking the door to keep any unwanted visitors away, the demigods all fell fast asleep.

Percy's eyes opened and he knew instantly that this was another memory not a dream. He was laying in an open field surrounded by corpses and blood.

"Gabriel!" he heard faintly to his side. He felt himself turn to look at who was calling him. A figure in full armor came running up to him. "Gabriel! Are you alright?"

"I'm-I'm," Percy's body coughed up some blood. "I'm alright, Apollo. Just give me some nectar." Percy saw the sun god pull out a canister full of nectar and poured down some his throat. He didn't taste anything but he guessed it was since he wasn't in control of his body. His body stood up shakily, Apollo wrapping Gabriel's arm around his shoulder.

"You need to rest, Uncle." Percy felt himself shake his head.

"No. Time for rest will come later. The battle is not over yet." Percy could just make out the sound of swords clashing and men screaming off in the distance, but he didn't see anything.

"I'm sorry, Uncle, but as the god of healing you need to listen to me." Percy sighed.

"Fine. But I will not go willingly," he said. Apollo laughed.

"Relax, Uncle! There is only one giant remaining and Zeus and Poseidon are doing their best to defeat him." Percy just smiled.

"Only one? Just how many have we killed?" Apollo scoffed.

" _We_ , killed only two. You killed four all by yourself." Percy's eyes would have widened in shock if he had any control.

"Hmm," he said. "I guess then that the time for celebration has come." Apollo grinned.

"There is always time for celebration. And women. And wine. And women." Percy just smiled at his so called nephew. Suddenly a roar came from the distant battle. "That can't be good." Percy and Apollo turned to find a giant come lumbering towards them, it's eyes red with bloodlust.

"Gabriel! I will kill you for killing my brethren!" Percy turned to Apollo.

"Go, Apollo. I will handle it." Apollo looked like he wanted to argue, but at the look in Percy's eyes nodded and flashed away. Percy turned to face the giant. _Porphyrion_. Percy didn't know where the thought came from but he knew that was the name of the giant. Percy dropped to battle stance and pulled out a sword and shield. Percy wasn't really that surprised to see that it was his current sword. It was the exact same blade and shield as the one he had gotten from Chiron.

Percy didn't have much time to think about it, however, as Porphryion came charging towards him, sword in hand. Percy grew to godly height and stood toe to toe with the giant. Porphryion brought his great sword down in a large arc. Percy blocked the blow and made to stab the giant's midsection. Porphryion was too quick, though, and blocked the strike. Percy backed away for a second. He looked all over the giant's armor looking for a weak chink in the defense. The giant lunged for him and he saw his opportunity. Percy held up his hand and using sheer godly power, distorted the giant's sense of balance causing it to collapse mid charge. Still dazed the giant tried to stand up but Percy used the shield to slam into the giant's knee.

Porphryion dropped to one knee, screaming in pain. Percy jumped into the air quickly, and with a downward strike, similar to Porphryion's, he brought his sword down quick and hard. The giant's head rolled of its body. Percy stood back up and sheathed his sword and put his shield on his back. Percy finally noticed the armor he was wearing. It was of the same gold as his sword and shield. He couldn't see his helmet, so he didn't know what it looked like. Percy flashed away from the battlefield and found himself back in the room from his first memory. Percy found that he no longer had his armor on.

Percy walked over to the corner of the room and found Zeus and Poseidon nursing their wounds.

"I see you survived the battle, brothers." The two gods looked up and smiled at their brother.

"All thanks to you. You single handedly defeated almost all of the giants." Percy just shrugged.

"I did what needed to be done." Zeus and Poseidon nodded. "I will leave you two to rest. I have some matters to attend to." With that Percy felt himself flash to another room. This time it looked like a bedroom. _Must be Gabriel's palace_ , he thought. The room wasn't extravagant as Percy expected a god's room to look like. There was a fireplace on one side and a table with one single chair on the other. Above the door was a circle with a sun and moon in it both equally large. It was the symbol of balance. On the wall hung Percy's shield and on a mantle beneath it was the sword. However, when Percy, or rather Gabriel, walked over to it he noticed it looked different. The sword had a word carved into it. Ισορροπία. Percy's mind, being wired for ancient Greek, translated it as Isorropia, Balance.

Percy walked over to the table and found food waiting for him. He moaned knowing that he wouldn't be able to taste any of it since he wasn't in control. It looked so damn good though. Just as Percy sat down to eat a knock came from the door.

"Gabriel," came a sweet voice from behind the door. Percy felt himself smile and got up to open the door. Just as he arrived though, Percy felt his mind pull away from the memory.

Percy woke up once more in his bed on the _Birmingham_. He heard Luke and even Clarisse snoring beside him. He stifled a laugh. It sounded as if they were trying to out snore each other. Percy felt his eyes go goopy again and rubbed them with his good arm. His eyes finally felt clean, but Percy knew that he probably had more gold in them now.

He got out of bed, his stomach growling. He went to the kitchen, and saw the table covered in his blood. He felt terrible about it and took a towel from a cabinet and cleaned the table off. Deciding it was clean enough for eating, he grabbed some food from the fridge. Beside the fridge was a little stove. Percy thought for a moment and then turned the stove on. The flames rose a little higher than an inch and Percy scraped some of his food onto the small flame. _For Gabriel_. Instantly he felt refreshed and felt his right arm tingle. Gingerly, he removed the towel Luke had put on him and found his arm fully healed.

Percy smiled, inspecting his arm. It was good as new. Percy finally sat down and started eating. Several minutes later Luke and Clarisse woke up oblivious to the chuckling eleven year old watching them.

"Nice hair, Clarisse. You're drooling, Luke." Percy said not able to hold his laughter back anymore. Clarisse glared at him but went into the bathroom to wash up. Luke just rubbed his cheek with the back of his wrist.

"What are you so cheerful, Golden boy? Don't you realize it's morning?" Percy just smiled innocently at him. Luke grumbled but got out of bed and changed clothes before Clarisse came back in. The two demigods got their food, made their offerings, and sat down by Percy.

"Prissy, what happened to your arm?" Clarisse said, eyes wide. Luke stopped eating and grabbed Percy's arm.

"How did it heal so fast? It was disgusting just a few hours ago!" Percy just shrugged, thinking of how to explain it.

"I sent an offering to Apollo and I guess he took pity on me and finished the healing process." Luke and Clarisse seemed to accept his answer since they just returned to their food. Luke looked up to tell Percy something when he noticed his eyes.

"Gods, Perce! Your eyes changed again!"

"Let me see," demanded Clarisse. Her eyes widened in surprise. "Your eyes are almost completely gold!" Percy gave them his best confused look and shrugged.

"I don't feel any different." They gave him imploring looks but decided not to press him any further. They ate in a comfortable silence for a few minutes. After eating, Clarisse pulled out her map and put it on the table for them to look at. She pointed at their location.

"We are currently anchored right her, just a bit away from the Scylla's rock." The demigods shivered as they remembered the monster they faced yesterday. "This is the largest island within the Sea of Monsters. Chiron and I think that this is where the Golden Fleece is located." Percy and Luke agreed, not really having any evidence to argue against her with.

The three made their way back up top and Clarisse took control of the helm. She looked at the compass that Ares had provided with the ship and they began to sail towards the island. The island that Clarisse had chosen was located in the center of the Bermuda Triangle. It wasn't on any mortal maps, and Clarisse had searched through many maps at camp before finding this one.

It was still early and they hoped that by being quiet they could avoid running into any more monsters like the Scylla and the Charybdis. Soon they found the island Clarisse had marked. Unfortunately, it was elevated and the cliffs were covered in sharp, jagged rocks.

"Look!" called out Luke. He pointed to a smaller island right beside the larger one. Clarisse and Percy turned to look and found that the smaller island seemed to connect to their target and made a natural ramp leading up to where they needed to go. Clarisse sailed them towards the small island and laid anchor. The demigods got on a little dingy and rowed to shore. When they arrived they found scattered remains from sailors, demigods, and interestingly enough satyrs from the unlucky few that found themselves here. The demigods pulled their weapons out to ease their nerves. Percy didn't bother taking his shield out, just Isorropia. He stared at his sword and was shocked to find ισορροπία inscribed on the blade. _It just keeps getting weirder and weirder._ The funny part was that Percy was starting to feel different within as well. He felt like he had a lot of power built up inside. _Must be my godly side_ , he thought.

The small island had a small land bridge between it and the larger island. The demigods began making their way to the top. The closer they got the worse the air started to smell. Eventually it got so bad that Luke threw up his breakfast.

"What the Hades is that smell?" he practically shouted while wiping his face off with a leaf he found on the ground. Percy looked around before he found the source.

"Right there," he pointed. The demigods went over to look, pinching their noses and holding their breath; not that it did really any good, the smell was so bad. They backed away till they were able to breath albeit not pleasantly. "It looked like poop," said Percy.

"Yea but not like any poop I've ever seen. And I know poop." Clarisse just rolled her eyes and smacked Luke on the back of the head eliciting a yelp. Percy just laughed at his friend. They continued up towards the top and when they finally made it they found what had done all the pooping. Surrounding the island was a giant herd of sheep. At the center of the island was a giant oak tree and hanging on one of its branches was the Golden Fleece. The demigods smiled at each other and began walking towards the tree.

As they walked closer to the sheep they noticed that they weren't normal. The sheep had beady red eyes and seemed to foam at the mouth just as the dog heads of the Scylla had done. Percy paled slightly remembering the pain he had felt just a couple hours ago. The sheep crept closer to them stopping the demigods in their place. A loud laugh came from the other end of the island.

"Puny demigods! You come looking for gold sheep fur? My sheep will eat you. Come! Let them eat you!" Finally from behind a large boulder emerged a huge figure. Percy immediately thought of the giant from his dream but it wasn't as big.

"Cyclops," muttered Luke, beside him. Percy could hear the hostility in his voice. He made a mental note to ask his friend about it later. _If_ there even was a later. Clarisse didn't seem to be fazed by the sheep, however, and pointed her electric spear at the flock.

"If you want us, you'll have to come get us!" With that she yelled and charged the sheep. Percy brought out his shield and followed her, swinging right and left. Luke was behind him slicing any sheep that survived Clarisse and Percy's onslaught. Wool, blood, gore, and limbs were flung to and fro as the demigods hacked and stabbed the maneating creatures. The battle, if it could even be called a battle, was over in a couple of minutes. All of the sheep were dead and the demigods' swords were bright red with blood.

The cyclops roared in anger.

"My sheepy! You kill my sheep! I eat you!" The cyclops came lumbering towards them. The demigods dropped to ready positions and fanned out making a triangle. The cyclops slowed down confused as to who to attack first. Deciding that Luke looked the tastiest he renewed his attack. Luke stared at his friends as if asking them to do something. Clarisse charged towards the cyclops's side like she had done to the Scylla. Percy stayed behind and thought about his memory.

 _If I am Gabriel, I must have his power as well_. Percy decided he would need to try and see if it was true. The cyclops was simply too large for them to bring down on their own. Percy lifted his arm up and closed his eyes in concentration. Focusing all of his attention on his target he let loose a primal yell. Luke and Clarisse stopped their fighting in surprise. They looked at Percy and their jaws dropped in awe. Percy, the little eleven year old camper from the Hermes cabin, was bathed in a golden light. Pure, unadulterated power came flowing out of him towards the cyclops. The monster tried to swing his arms at Luke but lost his footing and toppled to the ground. Percy's arm dropped from fatigue, but Clarisse and Luke wasted no time in stabbing the Cyclops in the back. The monster disappeared in a shower of golden dust.

Luke and Clarisse rushed to Percy's side keeping him standing up.

"Perce, that was-that was-,"

"Amazing!" finished Clarisse. Luke nodded, not trusting himself to speak. Percy just smiled wearily at them.

"Just felt right. Though it doesn't really feel too good right now." The others laughed and helped Percy stand up. Percy returned his sword and shield to his wrist and felt rejuvenated by the feeling of the watch on his wrist. He looked at his friends and smiled. "Come on. Let's get that fleece and get the Hades out of here."

 **A/N: Hey guys I'm back with another update to the story. Sorry this one took so long. Thursday mornings are busy for me, but I managed to write this chapter. This is really my first time righting about a "battle" so I know it is far from perfect. Any critiques and suggestions are welcome! Thanks for the great reviews. Hope you are all still enjoying reading this story as I am writing it. I plan on having another chapter come out later today.**

 **Also, the poll will be closing right before I post the next chapter so if you haven't voted yet, please visit my profile page and vote. Thanks!**


	7. Chapter 7

The demigods made their way across the field, avoiding the gory remains of the sheep and all the feces that remained. They finally got to the Golden Fleece and immediately felt calm and healthy.

"It really is powerful," said Clarisse. Percy and Luke could only nod their heads. Clarisse pulled out a large bag and carefully took the Golden Fleece of its branch, folded it neatly, and put it away. The demigods smiled and turned to leave when they heard another voice.

"Going so soon?" They looked back and found another figure standing behind the tree. Luke squinted at him before his face showed recognition.

"Ethan? Ethan Nakamura?" The demigod scowled.

"Oh it's you, Luke. You're right. I'm surprised you remembered me. Nobody ever remembers the unclaimed." Percy continued to stare at the newest demigod. Luke just smirked at Ethan.

"That's not true! We all will remember Perce here," he said. "Won't we?" Clarisse nodded enthusiastically. Percy just rolled his eyes at them.

"It's no matter," said Ethan. "You three cannot be allowed to leave this island. Not alive at least." He gave them such an evil smile that even Clarisse shivered. Luke frowned and walked towards him.

"What are you doing, Ethan?" Ethan pulled out his sword. Percy and Clarisse both pulled theirs out as well. "You don't have to do this. Come back to camp. Just because you haven't been claimed doesn't mean nobody cares about you." Ethan frowned.

"It's too late, Luke. I have bound my services to someone far more powerful than the gods. War is coming and I will be there to see Olympus fall." Luke glared at Ethan and unsheathed Backbiter. Ethan put his fingers in his mouth and whistled. From behind the boulder came four empousa. Without warning Ethan swung his sword at Luke's head which was parried away. While Luke battled Ethan, Clarisse and Percy charged the empousa.

One leaped into the air and tried to land on Percy's back while another lunged for his belly. Percy sidestepped and watched in amusement as the empousa crashed into each other. Percy's eyes grew firm, however, and he attacked the monsters with incredible vigor. Blood spewed everywhere and soon both empousa exploded in puffs of dust.

Percy looked over and found that Clarisse had managed to defeat both of her empousa as well. That left Ethan. Luke seemed to be holding his own and so Percy and Clarisse just watched, waiting to come to their friend's aid. Luke managed to land a strike on Ethan's side, causing him to stumble. Luke stepped closer to disarm him but Ethan swept his legs out and kicked Luke to the ground. Percy and Clarisse charged and Ethan, seeing no other alternative, turned and fled to the edge of the island. Percy's eyes glowed with determination and he focused on causing Ethan to trip. He managed to succeed barely causing Ethan to trip, but somehow the demigod managed to regain his footing and got to the edge.

Ethan turned back at Percy and Clarisse while Luke ran to catch up.

"This won't be the last time we meet, fools. I will have my revenge." With that Ethan jumped off the side of the island. The demigods rushed to see what happened but all they saw was ocean water.

" _One will be lost to a heart most rotten_ ," said Percy. Clarisse's eyes widened.

"I guess the prophecy didn't really mean us then. Who was that, Luke?" Luke sighed. They began walking back towards their ship, the fleece securely tucked away in Clarisse's bag.

"That was Ethan Nakamura. He was in the Hermes cabin a couple months ago, before Perce came to camp. He disappeared into the woods and nobody has seen him since. We all just assumed he had been eaten or killed by a monster. Guess he got himself mixed with some bad people. Who do you think he meant when he said someone more powerful than the gods?" Percy and Clarisse shrugged.

"Maybe Kronos or the Giants but they have been dead for centuries," said Percy.

"Well we can figure that out when we return to camp. Come on. The tree is still dying and we need to get back and save Camp Half-Blood before it's too late." Percy and Luke followed Clarisse back to the _Birmingham_.

[LINEBREAK]

Two days later the three demigods arrived back at Camp Half-Blood. Instead of stopping in Baltimore they decided to just go directly to camp. They made it back to shore and saw their ship disappear in a red glow. Apparently, Ares wanted his ship back. The three friends walked up to the Big House and found Chiron, the counselors, and a man that Percy didn't recognize, sitting around the ping pong table having a meeting.

"We don't have much time," said Chiron. "If they don't come back soon with the Fleece then camp will fall." They decided to make their dramatic entrance right then.

"Do not fear, oh great Chiron," said Luke, smiling dramatically. Everyone turned and cheered for the three heroes. "We have found the Golden Fleece and brought it back." Chiron gave them a tired but appreciative smile.

"I cannot thank you enough. The last few days have been very hard. We've been missing a couple of the unclaimed campers from the Hermes cabin. We think that there was a spy at camp and that he convinced people to leave. We don't know where they went. But first, Charlie, please take the Fleece and place it on the tree. Argus should be waiting there." Percy frowned, thinking hard.

"We found a demigod in the Sea of Monsters. He claimed to have aligned himself with a power greater than that of the gods." Chiron frowned. He looked like he had aged several years all of a sudden.

"I'll meet with the council," said the man Percy didn't know. Chiron must have noticed his confusion.

"Percy, this is Dionysus, Olympian god of wine and the camp director." Percy bowed to the wine god, which oddly brought a smile to his face. "Mr. D, this is Percy Jackson." Dionysus just waved his hand.

"I must be going then." Dionysus walked out of the house to go who knows where. Chiron dismissed the meeting but motioned Percy to come closer. Luke and Clarisse patted Percy on the back and left for their cabins to get some much needed rest and relaxation. Percy followed Chiron back into a different room of the Big House.

Chiron, in his wheelchair form, wheeled himself behind a large mahogany desk and motioned for Percy to sit in the empty chair in front of him. He picked up a pen on his desk and played with it absentmindedly.

"I've noticed your eyes have changed, Gabriel. Did you have another memory?" Percy nodded.

"I'm sure Clarisse will fill you in on everything that happened, but our first night in the Sea of Monsters I had a memory while I slept. It was of me fighting Porphyrion and killing him to end some battle." Chiron dropped the pen in his hands.

"Percy, Porphyrion is the king of the giants. His death ended the Giant War." Percy's eyes widened.

"You mean I saved Olympus and defeated the giant king?" Chiron nodded.

"I never knew that. That war occurred a century before I was even born. Gabriel is also the god of humility. Makes sense that he never mentioned anything to me. Are you positive that you are Gabriel, Percy? Is it possible that you are just his son or legacy?" Percy shrugged.

"I haven't finished seeing all of Gabriel's memories. I think I am though. I am beginning to feel different. Like I have a great power within me just waiting to be released." Chiron nodded.

"Just keep me posted. If you have another memory let me know." Percy shook Chiron's hand and left. He made his way back to the Hermes cabin and found his bed laying just the way he had left it. In minutes he was fast asleep.

[LINEBREAK]

The night is always dark. Shadows exist in the absence of light. In every corner of the room not a trace of light was to be found. Ethan walked up slowly to what he was told was a sarcophagus laying in the center of the room. Above him he heard the primal yells and squeals of hundreds of the vilest monsters imaginable. No matter how much hate Ethan had in his heart, being on the _Princess Andromeda_ made him shake in terror.

Ethan stuck his hands blindly in front of him hoping not to run into the sarcophagus. After a few minutes of searching the pitch black room, his hands rested on a metal box. The metal was cold. Not the kind of cold you feel when metal hasn't been used in a while. It was the cold of death. The cold one feels seconds before their soul flees to the underworld. Ethan sucked in a breath and pushed what he assumed was the lid off of the box. A dark gold light reflected into the room. Ethan looked up and fell backwards tripping over himself at what he saw.

Chained up on the wall in front of him were the dead bodies of several of the demigods his spy at Camp Half-Blood had managed to convince to come. Their heads hung and Ethan could see traces of blood run down their necks and down their bodies.

 _Weak_. Ethan felt a voice penetrate his mind. _All of them were weak. Are there no worthy spawn of the gods left?_ Ethan gulped. _Answer me!_

"I-I-I don't know! I haven't been at camp in a while! I've been working on trying to capture as many demigods out in the world and force them to join us," Ethan stammered out. Ethan felt the presence in his mind grow furious. "But I've seen a few demigods that will be worthy, my Lord!" The anger receded.

 _Where are they now?_

"At camp, my Lord," said Ethan. He closed his eyes expecting to be chained up on the wall beside the others.

 _Gather your spies. We will force those demigods to join us. Or they will die._ Ethan nodded and turned to leave. _Nakamura, wait._ Ethan stopped, but didn't look back. _Fail me again and I will bring you pain so unimaginable you will beg for Tartarus_.

[LINEBREAK]

Percy woke up the next morning and found that Luke was gone. _Must be at the Big House filling Chiron in on what we did._ Percy got himself up, washed up, changed, and made his way outside. It was already much later than he was used to waking up but he decided that one day wouldn't hurt him much. He didn't really feel that hungry so he decided to swing by the Big House.

He walked inside and found Chiron, Luke, and Annabeth all talking with a girl Percy didn't recognize. The girl had jet black hair much like Percy, but when she looked at Percy he noticed her eyes were a bright blue. _Look just like Zeus's eyes from my memories. Must be his daughter. Wonder why I haven't seen her before._ The group seemed to notice Percy standing there.

"Perce! Come here and meet my friend, Thalia!" Percy walked over completely ignoring Annabeth's glares and shook her hand. Her handshake was firm. Much stronger than he expected. She looked like she had just woken up from a coma. Not that he would know what that would look like.

"Percy Jackson, nice to meet you."

"Thalia Grace, daughter of Zeus. I hear I have you to think for my rescue." Percy looked at her confused.

"Percy five years ago, Luke, Annabeth, and Thalia here came to camp. Unfortunately, about fifty years ago, Zeus, Poseidon and Hades swore an oath not to have any more children. When Hades found out Zeus had broken his oath, he sent hundreds of monsters out of the Underworld after Thalia. They almost made it to camp but Thalia was mortally wounded. Zeus took pity on her and turned her into a pine tree." Percy realized what was going on.

"You were the pine tree on top of Half-Blood Hill?" Thalia nodded weakly. "So when the Golden Fleece was put on your tree it healed you completely?"

"Yeah it did," she said. Percy smiled warmly.

"Well it's nice to meet you." Thalia returned his smile. Luke put his arm around her.

"Thalia here is probably the most skilled fighter I know." He put his finger on his lip. "Actually on second thought, she's the second most skilled fighter I know." Thalia glared at him.

"Oh and who is number one?" She demanded. Luke's smile faltered.

"Well Percy here single handedly defeated the minotaur and helped us defeat an enormous cyclops defending the Golden Fleece as well as standing up to the Scylla." Chiron and Thalia looked at Percy in awe. Even Annabeth seemed mildly impressed. Percy just blushed.

"Luke and Clarisse did the actually fighting with the cyclops and I nearly died with the Scylla." Chiron shook his head and gave Percy a knowing smile. He was showing his true colors. Annabeth looked him over.

"You seem fine. You lying now?" Percy frowned at Annabeth.

"Apollo healed me. The Scylla bit my arm to the bone. Luke and Clarisse patched me up." Luke shuddered.

"Trust me. It was one nasty wound. He got blood all over my favorite shirt too!" Everyone except Annabeth laughed at Luke's pout. Percy just punched him in the shoulder making him laugh. Annabeth just crossed her arms and glared at Percy. She was really taking the loss at capture the flag really hard.

"Luke, why don't you and Annabeth show Thalia around camp? She still hasn't really seen anything yet." Luke smiled and pulled Thalia to her feet. Percy said goodbye to the daughter of Zeus and Luke and watched as the three of them walked out.

"Chiron, can I ask you something?" The old centaur smiled.

"Of course, Gabriel. You can ask me anything." Percy gave his mentor a playful scowl.

"Do you think I should tell anybody about my memories?" Chiron looked thoughtful for a moment.

"I think you should keep this to yourself. At least from the other campers until we figure out whom the spy is. I know you trust Luke and Clarisse but we can't be too careful." Percy nodded, understanding. "But if you ever run into Hestia I don't think it would be bad if you mention it to her. But under no circumstance should you tell Zeus or the other Olympians. I don't know how the rest will react but Zeus has become blinded by his love of power. He would probably kill you the second he heard of your dreams just to make sure he stayed king of the gods. I don't know if you saw it in your memories but Gabriel was the king of the gods before he left Olympus." Percy nodded once more and thanked Chiron. His stomach growled and he walked over to the dining area for some breakfast. There were only a few campers sitting and eating, none from the Hermes cabin. Percy was glad. He needed some time alone.

Finishing his breakfast he thought about the quest. He knew that the ambrosia and nectar would heal a demigod over time but too much would burn them from the inside. It should never have healed him the way it had. Well it wasn't just the godly food. Sacrificing food to himself seemed to work wonders. It meant one thing. He was fully god and fully man. He didn't know how it was possible but it had to be true. Then a thought struck him. The gods were not allowed to involve themselves with mortal affairs due to ancient laws. By being a demigod he was able to live in both worlds. It was the perfect balance. Percy smiled.

 _I am Gabriel, god of balance, fate, and humility._ He still didn't have all of his memories, but one thing was for sure. He finally came to terms with his dual aspect. He got up from the table and decided that it would be good for him to take some time to learn the art of healing. So instead of going to the arena where he spent most of his time, Percy went to the infirmary.

The next few weeks at camp went by quickly for Percy. Summer was almost over and today he would return back to his mom's apartment in Manhatten. He missed her. Sometimes it was hard to believe that it had been two months since he had arrived at camp. It had been the best summer of his life. Percy had never really felt that much different from all the other kids aside from his ADHD and dyslexia. But those things never really stopped him from doing well in school. Or at least as well as he could do. Thinking back on it, he laughed when he realized that the one class he always got an A in was Ancient Greek Mythology. Apparently, his godly-self had the good sense of giving him a limited knowledge of Greek mythology in order to pass school.

Percy looked around his bed and in his chest to make sure he had everything. He didn't have much. His sword and shield were on his wrist and all of his clothes were in his backpack. Finding nothing else he walked outside and made his way to Half-Blood Hill. Chiron was waiting along with Argus and the other campers that were going home for the year. Percy didn't see Luke, Clarisse, or even Thalia around. The four of them had become inseparable since they had returned from the quest. Clarisse was still a bitch at times, and Luke was incredibly immature but they were Percy's family. But now he was going to see his true family.

Percy said goodbye to Chiron and got into the van. He watched the miles fly by and soon the van stopped in front of his mother's candy shop. Percy thanked Argus and walked inside. Percy could smell the stove on in the back, a thick, creamy smell of chocolate being made.

"Mom! I'm home," called out Percy. He heard a clang from the back and smiled. His mom could be quite clumsy at times. Sally came out from the back, her blue apron stained with sugar.

"Oh, Percy! You've grown so much!" Sally hugged her son. Her tight hug nearly squeezed the life out of Percy. He tried to say something but she was hugging too tight. She let go and cupped his face in her hands. She gasped. "Your eyes! They're gold," she said staring. Percy smiled faintly.

"Mom, I think we need to talk." Sally nodded and removed her apron, turned the sign on the door to closed, and walked Percy behind the counter where two stools were stacked in the corner. She got them out and placed them for them to sit and talk.

"You want to know about your father, don't you?" Percy shrugged.

"Not really. I mean I was when I got to camp. I couldn't believe I was a demigod but after everything I saw and the movie that they showed us made lots of things make sense. But then Chiron, you know Chiron right?" Sally nodded. "Well Chiron gave me a gold watch," he said holding up his watch for his mom to see. "When I put it on I collapsed. When I was out, I had a dream. Well it turns out the dream wasn't a dream at all but a memory. Apparently I am actually a god named Gabriel. I don't really know what is going on or how it's possible though. I was hoping you could tell me what's going on." Sally smiled.

"It happened eleven years ago. I was working here in the shop when a tall man walked in. He had black hair and eyes like molten gold. He talked with me and explained to me that I was a clear-sighted mortal. He then told me who he was. He said his name was Gabriel, the oldest of the Olympians. He told me that war was coming and in order to protect the world he had to do something never tried before. He told me he would give me a child that would have all of his power and memories. I never realized he actually placed himself or at least his essence into me. I got a letter from him explaining everything about the real world and in the letter he told me that one day you would find all of your memories and would bring the world back the way it should be. I don't know anything else, sweetheart." Percy smiled.

"Thanks mom. That's more than enough. I had another memory later on a quest and I know who I am now. I just don't remember everything. I don't really have any powers either. I guess as I get more memories the stronger I will grow." Sally hugged her son.

"Just remember that god or not you will still always be my baby boy." Percy kissed her on the cheek.

"I wouldn't have it any other way."

[LINEBREAK]

Percy hated his new school. His blood ached to be out and training with his sword, not sitting in basic college algebra. His dyslexia made it extremely difficult to pay attention. His teacher kept rambling on and on but Percy didn't hear anything. He was too busy doodling sketches of his shield on his paper. The shield was plain with absolutely no design on it. He figured that once he found a design he liked he would give it to Charlie Beckendorf, from the Hephaestus cabin, to fix his shield.

"Percy!" He groaned. "What is the answer to number thirty-five on the homework?" Percy stared down at his homework. _Forty-five x times nine_. Percy finally recognized the voice. It was his god of fate aspect telling him the answer. _Well it's technically I giving the answer so it isn't cheating_ , he thought. He looked up and saw his classmates snickering expecting him to get the wrong answer. Even the teacher had a pleased look on his face.

"Forty-five x times nine," Percy said. He sat back in his chair arms crossed. _Check_ , he thought with a smile. The teacher frowned and glared at him.

"Did someone give you the answer, Jackson?" Percy just shook his head and pointed to the empty desks around him. It was obvious nobody gave him the answer. Nobody even wanted to go near him. Before the teacher could respond the bell ending class rang. Percy, like always, was the first person out. He practically ran to the cafeteria to avoid being caught in a crowded hallway. He made his way over to his normal table and sat down by his only two friends. They were demigods from camp too and were the only ones at this school that understood him.

"Hey Perce, how was math?"

"Awful. But I did manage to get one question right." Travis Stoll's draw dropped.

"You got a question right? In Haas' class?" Percy gave him a smug smile.

"No way. Percy here doesn't know one from two," said Connor, Travis's twin. Percy glared at the snickering twins. The people at the tables nearby glared at them. Of course it didn't stop the sons of Hermes from laughing. Even Percy cracked a smile. It was hard to have fun in such a dreadful place. Of course the happiness didn't last long.

"Percy Jackson!" Percy and the twins turned to look at who had called his name. Standing by the doors of the cafeteria were three of the largest men Percy had ever seen. Travis and Connor jumped to their feet and Percy joined them, though he didn't know why. "We here to get you. Come with us or we kill you and friends." Percy tilted his head at the man's broken grammar. It sounded familiar.

"Laistrygonian Giants," whispered Travis. Percy paled. The voice reminded him of the cyclops from the Sea of Monsters. "They don't usually come this far south." Percy frowned. He looked around the cafeteria and just noticed that they were alone with the three giants. The leader stepped forward holding what Percy thought was a dodgeball.

"You come, demigod?" Percy pulled out his sword and shield.

"Not a chance in Hades," he said. The giant growled and threw the dodgeball at Percy.

 **A/N: Sorry this chapter came so late. It was a long day and I didn't have a lot of time to really sit down and write, but here we go with chapter 7. Thanks for all the reviews, favorites, and follows. I appreciate them all. Hope this chapter is just as enjoyable. Keep on with the reviews. And thanks to everyone who voted in the poll. It helps a lot with how the story will progress. Tomorrow will hopefully be a free day to sit and write so I might come out with two chapters much longer than I've written before. Thanks again!**


	8. Chapter 8

"Laistrygonian Giants," whispered Travis. Percy paled. The voice reminded him of the cyclops from the Sea of Monsters. "They don't usually come this far south." Percy frowned. He looked around the cafeteria and just noticed that they were alone with the three giants. The leader stepped forward holding what Percy thought was a dodgeball.

"You come, demigod?" Percy pulled out his sword and shield.

"Not a chance in Hades," he said. The giant growled and threw the dodgeball at Percy. He smiled. He was the reigning dodgeball champion in their P.E. class. Except that, then he had been playing against other twelve year olds that hadn't had intensive combat training. Not against giants trying to kill him. To make things worse, the dodgeball began to smoke and burst into flames as it sailed towards Percy and the Stoll twins. Travis and Connor ducked behind their table while Percy lifted up his shield. He hoped that it was strong enough to withstand a flaming dodgeball thrown by a giant.

To his incredible luck, the shield not only withstood the ball it also deflected it back at the giants. Percy smirked and put his sword away. The other two giants followed their leader and brought out their own flaming dodgeballs.

"Perce! Left," called out Travis. Percy wasted no time and blocked his left side just in time to stop a dodgeball.

"Right!"

"In front of you!"

"Right!" Percy wisely listened to everything the twins said. The giants began to grow angry that their attacks weren't working on the demigod.

"Joe Bob is getting angry," bellowed the leader. He decided to ignore the dodgeballs and charged the demigods. The other two giants, not knowing what to do, charged as well. Percy took his sword out and found Travis and Connor gone. Before he could wonder where they went Joe Bob reached him swinging his meaty hand at his head. Percy blocked the swing with his sword and sliced with Isorropia. The giant stumbled back, clutching his bleeding stomach. The other two giants came at Percy from each side. He leaped over one's arm, spun to the left and stabbed his sword into the giant's side. The giant exploded in a spray of dust. The other giant screamed.

"You kill Skull Eater! I eat you!" _Skull Eater? Joe Bob? Who the Hades is naming these things?_ Thought Percy. Joe Bob came back and grasped his hands together, raising them above his head. He brought them down hard and Percy rose his shield up to block it. The strike was so powerful though that Percy struggled to stand. The unknown giant used Percy's position to his advantage and hit Percy hard in the stomach sending him flying into the wall. Percy felt blood trickle down from the back of his head down his neck. He really needed to find some way to carry armor around. Just as the giants closed in on Percy they both exploded in puffs of gold. Percy tried to see who had saved him but his vision was going dark. He faintly heard someone calling his name and felt like he was being carried, but he wasn't sure. In a few seconds he quietly passed into the realm of Morpheus.

Percy looked up and found himself back in the infirmary at camp. _Surprise, surprise. Too bad there wasn't another memory_. Percy finally came too enough to see who was in the room with him. Chiron was sitting in his wheelchair and, to Percy's grateful surprise, his mother was holding his hand.

"Hey mom," he managed to get out faintly. Sally wiped a tear from her cheek.

"Oh Percy I was so worried! Chiron invited me into camp because this was the only place they could heal you properly." Percy gave Chiron a thankful smile and nod. Chiron returned each.

"Only two months of school, Percy, and you already managed to find some way of getting yourself back here." Percy just laughed.

"I feel fine actually. Just a little tired." Chiron nodded.

"The Apollo campers fed you a little bit of ambrosia and nectar," he said. He checked to make sure the door was closed. "And then I gave you some more. It appears that you can eat as much ambrosia and drink as much nectar as the gods." Sally just looked confused. "If a demigod eats or drinks too much nectar and ambrosia they can burn from the inside out. It is the food of the gods. Only a god can have as much as he or she pleases," he explained. Sally's eyes widened.

"Does that mean Percy is not a demigod?" Chiron shook his head.

"I don't know how but Gabriel managed to make himself fully god and fully mortal. The perfect balance." Sally nodded slowly looking back at Percy.

"My little, baby boy is a god?" Percy scowled playfully.

"I'm not a baby, mom. I'm centuries older than you." Sally smiled and ruffled his hair and planted a kiss on his forehead.

"Whatever helps you sleep at night." Percy rolled his eyes but smiled at her.

"Thanks for coming mom," he said. "It means a lot to me." Sally nodded.

"Percy, Chiron and I were talking and we think that it would be safer if you stay at camp year round." Percy smiled widely.

"Really?" he asked. Chiron nodded, his smile reaching his ears.

"You are a powerful young man, Percy. You need to get as much training as possible. Gabriel was the most powerful of the Olympians. You have his powers and so you need to be able to train and learn to discover them and how to use them." Percy nodded but looked at his mom.

"Are you sure about this mom?" Sally smiled, albeit a bit sadly.

"He's right, sweetheart. You need to train to help save the world. Just remember to come visit me often." Percy laughed and hugged her. "Well I need to go. The shop can't be closed for too long." Chiron wheeled himself towards the door.

"I'll take you out. Argus will take you back home, Ms. Jackson." Sally kissed Percy's forehead one last time and walked out with Chiron. Percy laid back down on the bed, staring up at the ceiling. He didn't know what had happened to Travis and Connor. He hoped they were alright. In fact, he didn't even know who it was that had killed Joe Bob and the other giant.

The door to the room opened and he looked over to see Thalia coming in. She didn't look too happy.

"How are you feeling, Golden boy?" Percy scowled at the nickname. Luke must have told her.

"I'm alright. I feel much better now." Thalia nodded and sat down where Sally had been just moments before.

"Travis and Connor sent us an Iris message telling us what was going on. We got there as fast as we could and managed to stop the last two giants before they got to you, but you were already losing a lot of blood. I can't believe you. You seem to be fully healthy and its only been a couple of hours." Percy looked up at the window. It was bright outside.

"What time is it?"

"About four in the afternoon." Thalia sighed, lowering her head.

"Percy, there's something you need to know." Percy cocked his head.

"What's up, Thals?" She looked up. Percy saw the fear in her eyes.

"Luke and Annabeth went with Grover a couple of weeks ago to help track down a demigod up state. We haven't heard back from them. Any of our Iris messages just come up blank. Chiron managed to talk with the Olympian council about it but even they can't find them." Percy sat up immediately.

"We have to find them!" Thalia nodded.

"Chiron told me this morning that it can't wait any longer. I want you to come with me to look for them. You, Clarisse and Lee Fletcher."

"When do we leave?" Thalia smiled and stood up, walking to the door.

"We leave in two hours. You have time to get up and get ready." Percy nodded and Thalia left. He swung his legs out of bed and just sat there. He couldn't believe that Luke and Grover were missing. They were two of his best friends. He was determined to find them and return them. He guessed he would save Annabeth too. He just didn't like how rude she was towards him.

He got out of bed and put on his clothes and watch. He found his backpack full of clothes sitting by the door so he put it over his shoulder and walked out of the infirmary. Chiron was waiting outside for him in full.

"Percy, come with me to the Big House. We have some things to talk about." Percy nodded and followed the centaur. They went back into Chiron's office in the back. Chiron formed himself back into a wheelchair. "Please, sit." He motioned for Percy to sit in the chair. Percy complied and looked at Chiron expectantly. "Percy, the gods have a special interest in this quest."

"Why's that?" Chiron picked up his pen again and fiddled with it.

"They are becoming increasingly worried, ever since Thalia's tree was poisoned a couple months ago." Percy nodded.

"So what does that have to do with me?" Chiron put the pen down.

"The gods cannot know who you really are until you have found all of your memories. It is vital that they don't find out and that nobody else does either. I have a very bad feeling about this adventure. The Oracle did not give us a quest, and that worries me." Percy frowned.

"If the gods are going to be watching us, won't they recognize my sword and shield?"

"I think they will. They probably will be weary of your golden eyes." Percy looked confused. "Kronos had golden eyes. Not the same as yours but the Olympians, namely Zeus, will be very uncomfortable when they see you. But your sword they will definitely recognize." Percy leaned forward.

"Then what am I supposed to do? I can't just go with no weapon and none of the swords here really feel right." Chiron smiled and picked up the pen.

"Take this." He handed the pen to Percy. He didn't take it, but looked at it wearily.

"Last time you handed me something, I blacked out." Chiron laughed.

"Don't worry. This has no connections to you in anyway. At least that I know of." Percy hesitantly grabbed the pen.

"So the mystery man did not give it to you?"

"No, not this. The watch was the only thing." Percy nodded but fixed his eyes on the pen. He got up out of his chair and held the pen in front of him. He uncapped it and a beautiful sword appeared in his hand. He saw the word Anaklusmos engraved on the side. _Riptide_. The sword was well balanced and fit well in his hand. It wasn't as long as Isorropia and it was made of celestial bronze, but it was beautiful nonetheless. Percy smiled.

"I love it. It feels good." Chiron smiled.

"Should you ever lose it, wait a few minutes and it will reappear back in your pocket." Percy nodded and capped it. It turned back into a pen. He put it in his pocket.

"Where did you get the sword, Chiron?" The centaur just shook his head.

"It's not my story to tell. One day you may find the story behind the sword. But for now just go and get ready for your mission." Percy thanked Chiron and walked back outside. He looked at his watch and saw that it was almost six o'clock, the time he was to meet the others. As he got closer to Half-Blood Hill he saw Clarisse, Lee, and Thalia standing there waiting. What he didn't expect was to find a dragon laying around Thalia's tree and the Golden Fleece. Thalia smiled when she saw and him.

"That's Peleus, Percy. He guards the camp." Percy nodded and shook hands with Lee. Lee had been his tutor in the infirmary over the summer. He was the best healer at camp. If Luke and the others were hurt Lee was the best person to have around.

"Hey, Prissy. Welcome back." Percy rolled his eyes but smiled at Clarisse.

"Hey, Larry." Clarisse scowled at the knock off of her last name, La Rue. She punched Percy in the shoulder making him laugh.

"Come on guys," said Thalia. "We have a long ways to go to make it to Buffalo." They got into a van that camp provided for them to use. Thalia had the keys and got into the driver's seat.

"Thalia? How can you even drive?" Thalia turned back to look at Percy. Percy and Lee were in the backseat while Clarisse sat shotgun.

"I'm seventeen, Golden boy." Percy shook his head.

"Actually, since you didn't age at all while you were a tree you're still twelve just like me." She glared at him and just turned and started the car. Percy smiled but was secretly terrified. They would be driving six hours with a crazy daughter of Zeus at the wheel. Even Clarisse seemed a bit unnerved. Thalia turned on the radio and began blasting music.

The hours dragged on and on. Surprisingly they never once got into a wreck. Lee had been smart and brought a copy of a medical journal. Percy wasn't sure what Clarisse was doing. Probably sleeping. Percy was jealous. He wished he could be sleeping. It was almost midnight and he was exhausted. Only that morning he had battled and defeated a laistrygonian giant. He was hungry too. Thalia refused to stop for food so they had to manage on granola bars she had packed.

Soon they arrived in Buffalo. Thalia parked the van in a park far away from any other people. Not that there were any people out and about at midnight, but it never hurt to be careful. The moon was bright and the park had a slight glow to it. Owls hooted off in the distance. Thalia turned on the light in the van and pulled out some notes.

"According to this, Luke and Thalia were to meet Grover here in the park. That was three weeks ago." The demigods got out of the van. Percy looked up. He felt as though the moon was staring right at him. _Artemis must be watching what we are doing_ , he thought. Instead of pulling out Isorropia, he pulled Anaklusmos out from his pocket. He uncapped it and felt the familiar weight of a sword in his hand. Lee took a bow out from his bag and strapped a quiver onto his back. Percy knew that Lee was a good archer. Not as skilled as Michael Yew, but better than most campers. Clarisse pulled out her electric spear and Thalia pulled out a can of mace which elongated into a spear as well. Together they walked through the deserted park. They came to what they assumed was the middle of the park and fanned out. Thalia pointed them to go in different directions.

Percy began walking towards a small pond. The moon reflected off the water. It was a beautiful sight. Percy wished he could just stop and soak it all in but they had to find Luke and Annabeth and Grover as soon as possible. Percy circled around the pond when he saw something glimmering in the water. He knelt down and stuck his hand in. He felt his hand rest on something rough. He pulled it out and fell over in surprise. It was Backbiter, Luke's sword. Percy stood up and looked around frantically. Suddenly the wind stopped blowing, the trees stopped moving, and the quiet noise that encompassed the park grew quiet. Time had literally frozen. A slight golden glow came from beside a tree a couple feet away from Percy. Percy cautiously approached it and found hoof prints leading towards a darker part of the park. Suddenly the glow left and the wind came back. Everything returned to normal.

 _Did I just freeze time?_ Percy didn't remember Chiron mentioning anything about Gabriel having powers over time. He decided he would figure it out later. He had to find where these tracks went. I thought about calling out to his friends but didn't want to have them come if this lead went nowhere. Percy followed the tracks as best as he could in the moonlight. The deeper he went into the park the darker it got as the trees kept the moonlight from reaching the ground. Percy finally found the end of the tracks. He looked around but didn't see anything. He sighed and went back to where his friends had been to see if they had found anything. He pulled out his shirt and wiped Backbiter off. The sword was still wet and it was freezing his hand off. Percy wished he had brought his hoodie from the van.

When he reached the clearing, he didn't see any of his friends. He was about to go looking when he heard a cough from behind him. He turned around, Backbiter and Anaklusmos both pointed at the source. He immediately dropped the swords and ran. Lee was sitting at the base of a tree. His lips were cracked and he had a nasty bruise was forming around his right eye.

"Lee! What happened? Where are Thalia and Clarisse?" Lee coughed and looked up.

"Some monsters came and took us by surprise after you walked off. They left me here but took Thalia and Clarisse with them. I don't know where they went." Lee tried to get up but Percy placed a firm hand on his shoulder.

"Stop, just sit and rest. Here have some of these," he said. He pulled out some ambrosia and put them in Lee's mouth. When he was sure Lee had swallowed the medicine he stood back up and went over to where he had left the swords. He walked back over to Lee. "Here," he said. "Take this. When you feel better get back to the van. I'm going to go see if I can find where they took the girls." Lee took Backbiter gratefully.

"Thanks, Perce. They went that way," he said pointing towards a cluster of trees. Percy nodded and started walking. He passed the trees and found another clearing. The moon had dimmed significantly and Percy had a hard time seeing just what was in front of him.

"We were hoping you would show, Percy Jackson. You escaped us yesterday, but not today." Percy glared at where he assumed the voice was coming from. He recognized the voice. The figure stepped closer and Percy finally placed the voice.

"I never expected you to be a traitor." The person laughed.

"I never expected you to return with the Golden Fleece. I never expected you to survive the Laistrygonian giants but you did. I know you are looking for Thalia and Clarisse. Look," the person said, pointing to the side. Percy turned and saw his friends gagged and chained by a two cyclops and empousai. Percy turned back to look at the figure.

"You will pay for your betrayal." The person laughed and turned around.

"Not today." The figure looked at the cyclops. "Take care of him. The master wants him alive." The cyclops gave Percy a nasty smile and came up to him. Percy readied himself. The first cyclops came lumbering up to him, a club in his hand. Percy parried the club and punched the beast in the eye. The cyclops stumbled back clutching his eye. The second cyclops came fast and hit Percy in the side. Percy flew back but thankfully there was no wall to break his fall. He rolled to the side to avoid the cyclops from smashing him with its club. Percy slashed with his sword cutting the cyclops's arm cleanly off. The monster roared and used its other arm to try and hit Percy. Percy ducked underneath and brought his sword up straight through the beast's armpit all the way to its head. The cyclops exploded in a spray of golden dust. The other cyclops came back in full vengeance. Its eye was red and swollen. Percy slid in between the monster's legs and turned to stab it in the back when he felt a sharp pain in his back. He collapsed to the ground.

The empousai had used Percy's distraction to come up behind him and stab him. Just as they were about to go for the kill, the cyclops exploded behind Percy. The empousai stumbled back in surprise which Percy took advantage of and jumped up despite the pain in his back and swung his sword. Both empousai exploded just as the cyclops had. Percy turned to find Lee standing there. He was still slightly pale, but his lips had healed and the bruise wasn't as profound. The ambrosia had done its job. He dropped to a knee, the pain in his back getting to him. Lee ran over and forced ambrosia into his mouth. Instantly, Percy felt his wound heal up. He smiled and looked up at his friend.

"Thanks, Lee. I was going to be a goner." Lee nodded. Percy turned back to where Thalia and Clarisse were sitting. He ran over to them and removed their gags and slashed their chains. The girls stood up, rubbing their wrists.

"Thanks, Prissy. They just came up from behind. I can't believe that-."

"It's alright, Clarisse. I guess we know now what happened to Luke and the others." Thalia nodded.

"Come on. We need to get back to camp and let Chiron know what happened. We obviously won't be able to get to Luke from here." The demigods nodded and walked back to the van just as the first rays of sun started to shine through the trees. Thalia drove again while the other three slept peacefully the entire drive home.

Six hours later they made it back to camp. Thalia told the others to go get some rest. Percy didn't know how she could go so long without needing sleep. Percy didn't complain, though, and went to the Hermes cabin to get some much needed rest. Percy woke up again the next morning. His back didn't even feel sore. The other campers were still asleep so Percy decided to get back to his old routine.

Percy walked over to the arena and pulled out Anaklusmos. He wasn't sure if he was still being watched and didn't want to risk being exposed. A couple of practice dummies were set up. Percy began to train. He didn't know how long he was at it but soon he heard lots of shouting and laughter coming from outside the arena. The campers were starting to get up, meaning it was time for breakfast.

Percy walked up to the dining area and found Thalia sitting alone at the Zeus table. He got his food, offered some up to himself, and walked up to Thalia.

"Do you think that Zeus would mind if I sat down here? You could use some company." Thalia smiled and nodded.

"I don't think he would mind. Just don't do anything stupid." Percy smiled and sat down across from his friend.

"How did it go with Chiron last night?"

"It went well. I told him about, you-know-who," she said. They didn't want to mention the traitor's name around the others. They didn't want a panic to ensue. "He told Dionysus who is supposed to be speaking to the council right now." Percy nodded and started eating. When they had finished Thalia stood up.

"So, I still haven't had a chance to test your fighting skills. What do you say you and I go to the arena and see just who is the real number one?" Percy smirked and stood up.

"You're on, Pinecone Face." Thalia growled at him.

They got to the arena and before Percy could say or do anything, Thalia was attacking him with her spear. Percy dodged the spear, barely. He quickly uncapped Anaklusmos and swung at Thalia. She blocked the strike and stabbed at Percy's midsection. He parried the spear away and kicked Thalia's knee. She fell to the ground and Percy swung for her shoulder. She rolled out of the way and thrust her spear at him. Percy flipped over the spear and kicked Thalia's hands making her drop the spear. He put his sword at her neck.

"Yield?" Thalia grumbled but yielded. Percy smirked triumphantly.

"You win this time, Golden boy." Percy capped Anaklusmos and helped Thalia up. She put the can of mace back in her pocket. Percy opened his mouth to speak but was interrupted by a loud horn blast. Thalia looked at him with worry. The last time the horn had blown her tree had been poisoned. They ran out of the arena towards Half-Blood Hill where many campers and Chiron were waiting. They reached the centaur's side and were about to ask what was going on when they saw what made everyone freak out. A group of girls wearing silver jackets and jeans came marching up the hill. Percy saw Thalia glare at them and decided not to question her on it. The girls were led by a girl that Percy could only assume was about his age. Chiron bowed low to the girl and many of the demigods followed suit. Many of the male campers flinched and tried to get as far away as possible. Percy just stood there not sure on what to do. He bowed along with Thalia but didn't move away.

"Lady Artemis, what brings you and the hunters to camp?" Percy's eyes widened. He remembered Artemis from his memories. Chiron had told him that she was very close to Gabriel. Percy tried to cover his face from her as best as he could hoping she wouldn't recognize his golden eyes.

"Zeus has ordered me to track down the lost demigods. Apparently there are forces at work that even my brother cannot see." Percy felt like he recognized the voice from somewhere other than his memory, but couldn't quite place it. "Normally I would leave my hunters on their own, but Zeus was adamant about me leaving them here to help defend the camp." Percy risked looking up and saw the girls were glaring at any boy within twenty feet of them. One looked directly at Percy and gave him such a glare that he physically flinched. He felt a hand on his shoulder and turned to see Thalia giving him an apologetic smile. He smiled back to reassure her he was fine.

"We would be honored to host the hunters, milady." Artemis nodded and led the girls towards the cabins. Chiron just sighed. "Every time the hunters come trouble brews. They never work well with the campers. I guess I'll have to go set up for capture the flag." Percy looked at him confused. "We always play a big game of capture the flag whenever the hunters come to camp." Percy nodded and turned to Thalia, but she had already left. Percy just shrugged and made his way back to his cabin. He was still sweaty and dirty from his training and his fight with Thalia.

After a shower and some clean clothes Percy walked to the dining area for lunch. The hunters were laughing and talking loudly at Artemis's table. It was the first and only time he had ever seen anybody sit there. He remembered from his studies that Artemis was a man-hater and instilled that philosophy into any girl that joined her hunt. Percy decided that it would be wiser to keep to himself and give them no reason to try and kill him. He got his food and offered some more to himself. He felt fresh and strong like he did after a week of solid training.

He walked up to the Hermes table and sat down to eat. He tended to stay fairly quiet so the other Hermes campers didn't really talk to him. He didn't mind though. He felt like someone was watching him and turned his head slightly towards the Artemis table and saw that one of the hunters was staring at him oddly.

Zoe Nightshade couldn't figure it out, but the demigod sitting by himself at the Hermes table seemed very familiar. She pushed it out of her mind and turned to listen to Phoebe's story.

"… And then I shot him in the ass!" The hunters roared with laughter. Even Artemis was chuckling beside her. All of the campers turned to stare at them, except for the strange demigod at the Hermes table. The hunters glared at the campers until they turned away. The strange demigod stood up, returned his dishes, and left the dining area without even looking at the hunters. Zoe turned to Artemis.

"Milady," she said. Artemis turned to look at her.

"What is it, Zoe?" Zoe pointed at the demigod.

"Look at him. Doesn't he seem familiar somehow?" Artemis frowned at turned to look at the demigod. Indeed he did seem to look a little familiar.

"We probably ran into him out on the hunt." Artemis shrugged and returned to the conversation. Zoe listened but didn't really pay attention. She didn't think that they had run into him. He seemed like someone she had known a very long time ago.

That night Percy stood with the other campers near the edge of the woods. He was told that the big game would be the most intense he had ever been a part of before. In order to protect himself he had brought his old armor to wear. The other Hermes campers were talking to themselves. Percy was standing next to Thalia.

"What do you think will happen tonight?" Thalia shrugged. She had been uncharacteristically quiet since the hunters had arrived.

"We will probably lose. Clarisse said that we have never won a game of capture the flag against the hunters." Percy frowned. That didn't sound good. It was all of the campers versus the hunters. Percy didn't think the hunters stood a chance at those odds, but if Clarisse admitted to losing, then they must be good. Chiron rode up in front of them. Artemis and the hunters followed him.

"Campers! Tonight we will host another large game of capture the flag!" The campers cheered. "However, it will be the hardest game any of you have faced. Tonight it will be all of the campers versus not only the hunters of Artemis, but Artemis herself." The hunters cheered and Artemis gave the campers a big smirk. The campers started whispering to themselves. "Hunters will go to the east, and the campers will go to the west." With that the two teams left for their sides. Logically, the Athena cabin took lead. In Annabeth's absence, Malcolm was in charge. The Ares, Apollo, Zeus, Aphrodite, and Hermes cabins were on the attack while the rest were set to defend. Percy, however, as the most skilled fighter, was asked to aid in the camps defense. The strategy the Athena cabin had come up with was to have all of the defenders congregate at a single point to give the illusion that the flag was there. Percy then would defend the true location of the flag a couple yards away.

Percy was quite nervous. He wasn't afraid of fighting, but he did not under any circumstance want to come face to face with Artemis. His identity needed to remain a secret for a little while longer. Percy came to his position and climbed up a tree where he could keep himself hidden. The flag was tucked in a knot in the tree's trunk. He heard Chiron blow the horn signaling the start of the game. He heard yelling and shouting and the faint sound of metal clanging against metal. Percy continued to sit in the tree. Just when he started to think none of the hunters would find him, he heard a rustling in the bushes. He slowly felt his pocket to make sure Anaklusmos was there.

From the bushes a little girl came out. Percy nearly cursed. It was Lady Artemis herself. _Just my luck_ , he thought. The little goddess smirked and looked in the tree tops.

"I know you're there, little demigod. Come down here. It will make things go much quicker." Artemis turned and stared right at the tree Percy was hiding in. He sighed, not wanting to face the goddess's wrath if he didn't do as she asked. He dropped down from the tree, uncapping Anaklusmos as he fell. Artemis smirked at the twelve year old boy standing in front of her. She looked at him closely. It was the boy Zoe had pointed out. He was making a strong effort to hide his face from her. _Must be ashamed for what he did_ , she assumed, thinking that he really had been someone they had ran into. She pulled out her hunting knives and circled around the boy.

Percy was growing increasingly more nervous. The closer she got the sweatier his neck felt. All of a sudden the goddess attacked. Her attacks were a blur. Percy could barely even see what was going on let alone keep up with her. Soon she had him lying on his back with the twelve year-old goddess towering over him, hunting knives at his neck.

"Look at me," she said. Percy slowly opened his eyes. When he looked up he saw her bright silver eyes and felt the world go black.

 **A/N: I'm back. Sorry this chapter came out later again. But in my defense this is the longest chapter I have written so far. Plus I wanted to carefully plan this chapter since it leads into the rest of the story. Hope you enjoyed it! Thanks for all the reviews and follows and favorites! I'll try and release another chapter today but no promises. Thanks for reading!**


	9. Chapter 9

"Gabriel," came a sweet voice from the door. Gabriel smiled and got up. He opened the door and found Artemis standing at the door.

"Artemis! What a surprise! What are you doing here? Come in," he said. Artemis smiled and came into Gabriel's little home.

"What are you doing here, Gabe? Shouldn't you be out celebrating?" Gabriel sat down at the table. Artemis sat across from him.

"I'm not much for celebrating, Arty. I did what had to be done. There is always something to do. I have my responsibilities. I am not going to keep the rest from their time of celebrating and feasting, but I would much rather stay here where it's peaceful and quiet." Gabriel stood up suddenly. "Would you like something to eat?" Artemis shook her head. She and her hunters had just eaten. "So what brings you by? I know it's not to ask me to go celebrate."

"I need your help. After you defeated Porphyrion, the armies of the giants were scattered. Many of the most powerful monsters fled to the countrysides. There are simply too many of them." Gabriel nodded and put his food away. He grabbed his sword and shield from their mantels. He followed Artemis outside and they flashed away.

Gabriel found himself standing in a small clearing. Silver tents had been set up and girls ran to and fro doing their chores. Gabriel followed Artemis over to the camp. The girls stopped and smiled.

"Gabriel! You came!" Gabriel smiled at the girls. He felt honored to be the only man welcomed in the camp. Well he had a right to be. He was the one that had given the idea to Artemis and had even provided her with a few hunters. Gabriel smiled and sat down by the campfire in the center. Artemis sat down beside him.

"I wish I could say this meeting was to just say hello, but Artemis tells me that you are hunting some powerful game." The girls' smiles fell and they grew serious. Gabriel turned to Artemis. "So what exactly are we tracking down?"

"Echidna has been spotted near Athens. Unfortunately, it isn't just her. Her chimera son is with her wrecking even more havoc than she is," said Artemis' lieutenant, Zoe Nightshade. Gabriel nodded at her.

"She must be taking advantage of all the celebrations going on. Nobody will be expecting another monster attack." Artemis agreed.

"We have a spare tent for you, if you'd like. We leave tomorrow at daybreak for Athens." Gabriel thanked the hunters and left for the tent. He climbed inside and fell fast asleep on the ground. The next morning he woke up just as Artemis and the hunters got out of their tents. They made quick work of the camp, leaving it just as it had been before they had arrived. Gabriel put his armor on. It was a light metal that offered perfect maneuverability. The armor was silver, standing in stark contrast to the gold of his gear. He wrapped a scarf around his neck. He sheathed his sword at his waist and his shield across his back.

The hunters and the two gods trekked across the Greek countryside before they arrived in Athens. Gabriel and Artemis pulled their scarfs up to hide their faces. They would stand out, but it was better than being recognized as Olympians. They circled around the city before they heard a scream coming from a little farm. The hunters pulled out their bows and notched an arrow. Gabriel and Artemis crept towards the main home of the farm. Gabriel pulled down the cloth that surrounded his face and looked inside a crack in the door. Echidna stood in the corner smiling. Gabriel turned his head slightly to see the rest of the room. He grimaced at what he saw. The Chimera was feasting on the corpse of what he assumed was the farmer. Blood was splattered all over the room. Gabriel growled when he saw a little girl shivering in the corner. Her face was bruised and she cradled her left arm. _Must be broken_ , thought Gabriel. He looked over at Artemis and nodded slowly. Artemis turned and motioned for her hunters to surround the building to make sure the monsters did not escape. Gabriel quietly unsheathed his sword and Artemis pulled out her hunting knives.

Gabriel kicked down the door, causing the girl to scream and the Chimera to turn around. Blood dripped from each of the beast's maws. Echidna hissed as Gabriel and Artemis crept into the room. The entire room was in shambles. The remnants of a table were scattered around. Broken bits of pottery and glass littered the ground. The air was putrid. The gods nearly gaged when they walked in. Gabriel stepped over what he assumed used to be an altar to the gods. The Chimera circled around them, making its way over to its mother, Echidna.

"Get the girl and get out," said Gabriel to Artemis, his eyes never leaving the Chimera. Gabriel removed his shield and put it on the ground by the door. There wasn't much space and he couldn't be held down by the extra weight and size. Without waiting for Artemis's response, Gabriel brought up his sword and charged the monster. Artemis ran and got the girl and hurried her out of the building where some of her hunters could get her some help. Gabriel, meanwhile, was busy fighting. Unlike the giants this beast had three heads, each of them deadly. Gabriel spun to the left. The snake head struck out at him; he ducked.

Gabriel grabbed a rather large fragment of the table. The Chimera's lion head snapped down at him as the goat and snake heads attacked him from both sides. Gabriel blocked the snake head with his sword. With his left hand he stabbed upwards into the lion mouth with the table fragment. The lion head collapsed dead, the wood piercing its brain. The snake head avoided the sword but couldn't land a strike on Gabriel. The goat head, however, succeeded and rammed into his side throwing him across the room. Gabriel yelled in pain as he landed on a glass shard. It had somehow found its way through his armor and into his flesh. Artemis chose that moment to run back in and sliced the Chimera's goat head. Now the Chimera only had one head left and was at a serious disadvantage. Echidna started screaming about her baby, but the Chimera's hissing was too loud to hear anything. The Chimera turned around to allow the snake head to have free reign. Artemis dodged, blocked, and struck at the snake but it was simply too quick. Gabriel struggled to his feet. He grasped his right side, shakenly pulling the glass out. Golden ichor poured out onto the floor. Gabriel closed his eyes in concentration. Slowly his skin knit itself back together. He stalked towards Echidna, Isorropia held in both hands. He crept up closer and closer behind her back. She was too focused on how Artemis was hurting her "baby." He wasted no time and stabbed Echidna in the back. She exploded into dust. The Chimera hissed even louder and collapsed. Artemis used its momentary weakness and slit the snake's neck causing the entire beast to disappear in a shower of dust.

"Well done, Gabe." Gabriel just smiled at her.

"You as well, Arty." Artemis just punched him lightly on the shoulder. They made looked around the room and found two dead bodies. One had already been eaten by the Chimera and the other had been the Chimeras meal until they had killed it. The girl would likely have been the next meal. Seeing that there was no hope for either of the bodies, they walked back outside. The sun was just barely reaching its peak and Gabriel felt very hot under all of his armor. He pulled out a little rag from his pocket and wiped his sword clean. It wouldn't be good if it got stuck in its scabbard from the dry monster blood. The hunters lowered their bows. Artemis and Gabriel walked over to where one of the hunters, Atalanta, a daughter of Apollo, if Gabriel remembered correctly, was nursing the girl from the farm. Artemis knelt down next to the girl. She could sense she was a demigod, and a strong one at that.

"What's your name, child?" The girl looked up at her, tears in her eyes.

"Phoe-Phoebe." The girl's voice was shaky and the hunter handed her a cup of water to drink. Phoebe took the water gratefully.

"My name is Artemis." Phoebe choked on the water in shock. She tried to bow, but Gabriel placed a calm hand on her shoulder. She flinched from his touch but stopped. Gabriel frowned. "Do not worry, Phoebe. That is Gabriel. He is here to help." Phoebe looked like she was going to pass out from being in the presence of two of the Olympians. "Relax. Tell me what happened." Phoebe choked back a sob.

"My mother told me to go get some water from the stream down that way. When I came back my ste-stepfather was beating on my mom. He was drunk again and grabbed a pot and hit her over the head. I tried to get to her but he turned and swung the pot at me, breaking my arm." She held up her arm for Artemis to see she was telling the truth. Atalanta had already set the bone and put a sling on the arm to keep her from using it. Artemis nodded for her to continue. "Then we heard a roar and I used the distraction to go and run to my room. Just when I got there my stepfather opened the door to see what was outside and a giant monster and a lady came in. The monster fl-flung my stepfather against the wall. I could hear his neck snap. Then the lady told the monster to eat. I tried to hide but the lady found me and dragged me out to see the monster eat my mom and stepfather." Phoebe started to cry again. Gabriel conjured a blanket and wrapped the girl in it. Phoebe gave him a rather weak smile. "Thank you both for saving me." Artemis smiled.

"I will always come to the aid of a maiden. Phoebe, would you care to join my hunt? We always have room for more." Phoebe looked around at all the other hunters that were busy making sure no other people or monsters came.

"Y-yes, milady." Artemis's smile grew and even Gabriel smiled.

"Then repeat this vow after me. I pledge myself to the Goddess Artemis…" Percy didn't see the end of the memory but he knew what happened. Suddenly hundreds of more memories flooded into his brain. After a couple of seconds, his mind finally was able to separate the memories from his current life. He slowly opened his eyes. They felt goopy once more, and he reached up with his right hand and rubbed them both. He knew what had happened. He was no longer just Percy Jackson. He was now truly Gabriel. He remembered much more. Not everything, not all of his powers, but a lot. He remembered how he had helped Zeus overthrow Kronos. He remembered his involvement in multiple ancient wars and battles. He remembered his friendships with Zeus, Hestia, and Artemis. He remembered the summers he would spend with the hunt chasing after wild game.

He sat up and looked to the side. Chiron and a twelve-year-old Artemis were talking quietly to one another. Chiron seemed to notice Percy's movements since he turned from Artemis and rolled his wheelchair over to his bed.

"Percy, how do you feel?" Percy smiled at the centaur.

"I feel fine. I feel almost completely whole." Artemis walked over to him. Percy looked up at her and he saw her eyes widen in surprise.

"Your eyes," she said. Her voice was barely a whisper. Percy nodded.

"Chiron, can you make sure nobody will listen in on this conversation?" Chiron nodded and wheeled out of the room. A couple seconds later he returned.

"Everyone is out of the infirmary now, but Lee and Michael are standing guard outside to make sure nobody will bother us." Percy nodded his thanks.

"Will one of you tell me what is going on before I get angry?" demanded Artemis. Percy sat up in his bed. Sadly, he felt as though he had spent more time in this bed than his own in the Hermes cabin.

"We should start at the beginning, I suppose." Artemis narrowed her eyes at Percy.

"Get on with it." Percy nodded and began to tell the goddess about everything that had happened since he had come to camp, especially the memories he was having. When he finished his tale he looked into Artemis's eyes. He was shocked to find a lone tear trickling down her cheek. The tear seemed to be made of moonlight, giving off a lunar glow.

"You're truly him?" Percy nodded and smiled.

"I am, Arty. I swear on the Styx that I am Gabriel, the eldest child of Kronos." Thunder boomed in the distance, and when nothing happened, Artemis smiled brilliantly. Like a bright crescent moon. "When I saw you again during the game, I was thrown back into a different memory. This one of us hunting down the Chimera and saving Phoebe." Artemis wiped the tear and smiled as though remembering a good memory. "I finally have most of my memories back. I know who I am. I don't remember everything, like my powers or my purpose for becoming a demigod, but I am now much more of who I used to be." Artemis laughed, though it came out garbled from her emotions.

"I have missed you dearly. You were my only friend aside from the hunt. You told me when you left Olympus that you would be near, but for centuries I never even heard a whisper of where you were." Percy nodded sadly.

"I had very important things to accomplish. I don't exactly remember everything yet but I know that for a few centuries I wasn't even on earth. I don't know where I was or what I was doing but I know that for certain. Even if you had Iris messages me, I wouldn't have received it." Artemis pulled Percy out of his bed and gave him a tight hug.

"I don't care. You're back and that is what matters." Chiron was shocked. He knew that Gabriel and Artemis had been close but he never expected them to be this close.

Percy hugged her back.

"Now that I know who I am, I can say that I have missed you a great deal. Having nobody to talk to or hunt with for thousands of years can really be lonesome." Artemis pulled back and gave him an evil look.

"Just wait till my hunters see you. I'm sure Zoe and the others will _love_ to see that you're here." Percy paled.

"Actually, we need to hold off on letting people know who I am. I still don't have all of my powers back and there could be spies here in camp. We have already been betrayed once, and I was almost abducted twice. Artemis frowned.

"You make a good point," she said. "But soon I will force you to reveal yourself to them, and even I won't be able to stop them from what they will do to you." Percy paled considerably more but nodded.

"I deserve whatever they give me." Artemis nodded and turned back to Chiron. "I must be going soon. I have already stayed a while and Zeus will be getting more impatient if I do not leave. I cannot believe that you're back. I will find you again soon, Gabe. We have much to catch up on." Percy smiled at her.

"It's Percy, now." Artemis returned the smile and left the room. Chiron bowed as she left and rolled himself back to Percy's side.

"I wasn't sure if it would be wise to let her in on what was going on, but I see that it was a good decision." Percy nodded.

"Artemis has always been my best friend. I'm glad she knows who I am again. And Chiron," said Percy. He smiled at the centaur. "I release you from your oath. I know that it was I that gave you the watch to give back to me." Chiron smiled. He looked as if a weight had been lifted off of his shoulders.

"I'm glad to have you back, my lord." Percy just waved his hand.

"None of that lord crap. I'm just a demigod, remember?" Chiron laughed. He said goodbye and left the room. Percy changed out of the clothes he was in into his clothes from the night before. He put Isorropia on his wrist and Anaklusmos in his pocket. He walked outside and breathed in the fresh air. He walked over to the arena, telling his friends that he was okay and thanked them for their concern. It appeared that Chiron had told them of his incident during the game of capture the flag the night before. He just didn't know how exactly Chiron told them the event transpired. Percy walked into the arena and pulled out Anaklusmos. He finally remembered all of his sword training and decided to test it out for himself.

The next day Percy woke up at the normal time. He got ready like clockwork. Pants, shirt, shoes, brush teeth, put watch on, put pen in pocket. He walked outside and saw all of the hunters talking with Artemis. He caught her eye and smiled. She returned the smile briefly, the hunters not noticing anything. Percy watched as she waved goodbye to the hunters and left the camp, presumably to flash away to where ever it was that she was needed. Percy went to the dining area for his customary breakfast. He preferred a full English breakfast. It was high in protein which would help keep his mind sharp. He also got a glass of milk to help keep his body strong. The hunters marched in and Percy looked over slightly so they didn't notice anything.

He felt bad hiding from his old friends but it needed to be done. He finished his breakfast as fast as he could and got up to leave, not paying any attention to the hunters that were staring at him. Just as he reached the exit of the pavilion he stopped in his tracks. The Oracle was walking towards him. It looked like it had died, gone through Tartarus, and then dragged back up. She had been much prettier the last time he had seen her. He stepped to the side hoping to avoid the creepy thing. The Oracle kept on walking reaching the Artemis table. It reached the table and stared right at Zoe.

" _Five shall go west to aid the goddess who's lost,_

 _One will pay the ultimate cost,_

 _The bane of Olympus shows the trail,_

 _Campers and Hunters combined prevail,_

 _The Titan's curse must one withstand,_

 _To save the lost souls from a parent's plan."_

The Oracle's voice was raspy. It was nowhere close to the melodious voice of the Oracle that Gabriel had known. Zoe stared at the Oracle defiantly and nodded. She motioned for the hunters to stand and they all marched uniformly towards the Big House. Percy ducked away from them and headed for the arena. If they were going to be talking to Chiron then he would be able to train in peace. The hunters had been hogging the arena to themselves since they kicked him and the other demigods that had been training out yesterday.

Percy was in the middle of his training when Chiron came galloping in, his face pale.

"Percy, something has come up. You're needed in the Big House." Percy frowned.

"What's going on, Chiron?" Chiron just motioned for him to follow. He capped Anaklusmos and did as he was asked. Chiron returned to his wheelchair when they entered the house. Seated around the ping pong table were Thalia, Clarisse, Phoebe, and Zoe. They all looked up. Phoebe and Zoe glared at Percy when he walked in. He avoided looking at them.

"You said you would bring someone perfect for this quest, Chiron!" cried out Zoe. "We cannot go on a quest with some male!" Percy held back his laughter. Some things never changed.

"Percy is the best fighter we have here at camp," said Thalia. "We need him on this quest." Percy just stared at them.

"What's this about?" Zoe glared at him, as did Phoebe.

"Nothing that concerns you, boy." Percy ignored them. He looked right at Chiron.

"Zoe had a prophecy this morning," he said. Percy nodded he remembered the prophecy clearly. "Five must go on this quest. The prophecy also says that campers and hunters must prevail. Since Zoe received the prophecy she gets to choose who to bring. She chose Thalia and Clarisse, but there aren't many girls here that can even hope to match your skill, Percy." Percy didn't say or do anything. It was true but he felt uncomfortable being praised. He always had even as a god. Chiron turned back to Zoe. "Thalia is correct. Percy is the most skilled fighter here. If Artemis is truly lost, then you will need all the help you can get. You cannot risk your lady's life over your hate for men. I promise you that Percy will not do anything to risk getting himself on your bad side. Will you, Percy." Percy gave him a pointed look. Thalia and Clarisse laughed. Zoe looked disgruntled but Phoebe was just confused.

"What's so funny?" Thalia calmed herself down.

"Percy is one of the most quiet people I've ever met. Plus I've never heard him even brag once. Not even when he beat me in a fight." Zoe didn't stop glaring.

"It does not matter. He is still a man, and as such he is vile and evil. If he must come, so be it. But listen to me, demigod," said Zoe staring right at Percy. He kept his head down. "If you so much as look at me the wrong way I will not hesitate in gutting you for all the world to see your entrails. Do you understand?" Percy smiled, though she couldn't see it with his head hung low. He nodded. "Good. We leave tomorrow morning at first light." Zoe and Phoebe left the room. Percy continued to talk with Chiron, Thalia, and Clarisse. They filled him in on what their plans were and what they thought the prophecy meant. Percy didn't tell them that he already knew. He _was_ the god of fate after all.

[LINEBREAK]

Ethan returned to the dark room. He wasn't as afraid as he had been the last time. He hadn't failed his master this time. No, this time he had succeeded and he would make sure that he was on his master's good side. Ethan crept in and bowed low. He couldn't tell where the sarcophagus was, but it didn't really matter.

 _Nakamura, you have returned. I hope you bring good news._ Ethan shivered as the voice penetrated his mind.

"Yes, master. Our spy lured two demigods, one of which you wanted, and a satyr into our trap. We also managed to lure a goddess. The General's plan is in full swing. Our spies in camp have told us that a quest was just given to a hunter in order to rescue the goddess, Artemis. We will attack the camp tomorrow morning. The questers will try to sneak out during the chaos and we will trap them then." His master seemed pleased.

 _Well done, Nakamura. You have pleased me greatly. You live this time. Bring me the heads of the demigods we have. Except for that of the child of Zeus. I need her alive._ Ethan paled. It would not be easy. He could get Luke's head but the others would not go down without a fight, and after his last encounter with them, he was not so sure he would be able to succeed in his task.

"There is one problem, master." The voice grew harsh.

 _Speak._

"One of the demigods in our grasp is actually a spy for us. They attempted to capture a group of demigods early this week. They managed to defeat four monsters, but she is truly on our side." The anger calmed down. Ethan released a breath he didn't know he was holding. It was never good telling the master there was a problem with his plan.

 _What is their name, Nakamura?_

"Annabeth Chase, master."

 _Bring her to me. I must have a word with her._ Ethan bowed and fled the room. He needed to find the child of Athena. After she spoke with the master, they would be able to launch their attack on Camp Half-Blood. Ethan smiled. He would not fail his master. He would get his revenge on the gods and their children.

 **A/N: I was hoping to finish the chapter and post it yesterday but I fell asleep before I could finish it. Hope you all enjoyed it. I was planning on making Percy wait on getting all his memories till much later, but the way I have this story going it was important for it to happen now. If you have any questions let me know. Thanks again for all the reviews, favorites, and follows. I am almost at 50 followers and I am incredibly happy about how well my first story is going. Thanks for reading!**


	10. Chapter 10

Waiting is the bane of the impatient. Gabriel had never had a problem with his patience, but now that he was also Percy, a demigod, he suffered from severe ADHD. Percy was sitting down by Peleus. The others had not yet woken up for the quest and so he was left alone to his own thoughts. He yanked a couple of blades of grass out of the ground and ripped them apart as many times as he could. His mind wasn't really focused on the grass. He was busy going over the quest and what he knew would happen. He had the power to change the outcome, he knew that. But even he was limited in his abilities. _Unless_ , he thought. Percy dropped the grass and stood up. Peleus didn't lift his head but opened his eyes to watch him.

"It's ok, Peleus. I just want to touch the Fleece. I want to know if it will help my headache." Peleus didn't move but kept his eyes on Percy. He took it as a good sign. He walked over to the Fleece and lifted a hand to touch it. The second his fingers touched the golden wool, he felt a sharp pain in his head. Thankfully, he did not collapse with another memory. Instead it seemed that the Fleece had revealed some more of his godly powers. Percy smiled. They would come in handy, though he would have to be careful when using them. Noticing Peleus was getting slightly perturbed, he moved away and sat back down on the grass. He sighed. If only the Fleece could have healed his ADHD.

It was a beautiful day. A rarity for November. There wasn't a single cloud in the sky so far and the weather was cool but not freezing. A gentle breeze swayed through the trees. The sun was shining, though not as bright as usual. Apollo wasn't very happy with his sister being lost. Despite not being as bright as usual, there was still a lot of light. It gave Percy the perfect excuse to wear sunglasses to hide his eyes from the hunters. _Speaking of the devils_ , said Percy. The other questers finally arrived. Zoe and Phoebe ignored Percy and walked down the hill. Percy gave Clarisse and Thalia fist bumps. Suddenly they heard an explosion from behind them, followed by two sounds on the horn. Thalia, Clarisse, and Percy's eyes widened in surprise. Two horns meant an attack. Not just a simple one, but a two front attack. External _and_ internal. Peleus stood up and was instantly circling the pine tree, protecting the Fleece. Zoe and Phoebe turned around confused, but the demigods didn't stop to answer their questions. They all pulled out their weapons and ran back to camp.

When they arrived the Boat House and the stables were on fire. Just outside of the camp's border several ships were anchored firing cannons at the camp. The shields were holding up; for the time being. The biggest problem was that the campers and remaining hunters were struggling to defend the Big House and the cabins from an army of demigods and monsters clothed in full armor. Percy saw the rest of the Ares campers valiantly defending the infirmary, while several of the satyrs helped bring the wounded to the children of Apollo. Clarisse ran and helped her siblings defend the infirmary. Thalia ran towards the cabins to help the demigods there. The hunters stood on the balcony of the Big House picking off the enemies one by one. The rest of the campers were engaged in a full scale battle. Chiron had a sword strapped to his side, a quiver on his back, and he was firing arrows at an astounding rate. Any monster that did not fall to his arrows was immediately trampled or picked off by the hunters. Zoe and Phoebe joined the other hunters while the demigods joined the front lines.

"Percy!" called out Chiron. He notched an arrow and sent it straight into the eye of a cyclops. "You and the others must leave! We can finish this ourselves!" Percy fought his way to Chiron's side.

"We won't leave! This is part of their plan! I've seen what they are doing. They are flushing us out to keep us from our quest. We will stay-." Percy was cut off by a harpy flying towards him. He dodged to the side slashing the monster's wings as it flew by. The harpy's scream was cut off as a silver arrow hit it in the chest. "We will stay till we finish this." Chiron nodded at him. Percy and Chiron continued to fend off the enemy. Soon a horn blast came from one of the ships. The few monsters and demigods that were still alive turned and fled to the shore where several life boats were waiting for them. Chiron held up his hand to keep the campers from chasing after them.

"The battle is over. They will need to think twice before attacking us again." Chiron turned to Percy. "Thank you for your help. I must go now to tend to the wounded. Good luck on your quest." Percy tilted his head in goodbye and looked around to find the others. Zoe and Phoebe told their fellow hunters goodbye and left for Half-Blood Hill. Percy couldn't find Thalia anywhere so he went to the infirmary. The ground was stained red and corpses from both sides stretched from the Boat House to the cabins. Percy sighed sadly. Several of the dead, enemy demigods had been in the Hermes cabin with him last summer. He had just assumed that they had returned home for the school year.

He found Clarisse inside the infirmary speaking to one of her siblings that was laying on a cot. She noticed him standing there and came up to him.

"We lost many campers." Percy frowned.

"We can mourn later, but we have a mission. Their deaths will all be in vain if we don't go on this quest. That was the purpose behind the attack in the first place." Clarisse's eyes narrowed.

"How did they know about our quest?" Percy shrugged.

"They have many spies in camp. I hope we finally got rid of them all. If not then we have more problems to deal with. But for now we need to get going. Zoe and Phoebe are already at Thalia's tree." Clarisse nodded.

"I'm sorry about them by the way."

"It's alright. At least I'm not a jackalope right now," he said with a smile. Clarisse returned the smile and walked out with him before heading to Thalia's tree. Percy walked to the cabins. Some had been completely destroyed but the satyrs and nymphs were working hard to put things back in order. Percy looked around but couldn't find Thalia anywhere. Deciding it was getting late he walked back to her tree only to find her standing there with the others.

"Hurry up, boy," sneered Zoe. "If you are going to be lazy then we should have picked someone else to come with us." Thalia glared at her.

"What's your problem, Zoe? I'm sure he was just trying to make sure everyone was alright!" Clarisse nodded.

"He came looking for us to make sure we made it through the battle. You should wait before you cast judgement, hunter." Zoe glared at the girls and crossed her arms.

"Fine. Defend him. He will prove himself to be like the rest. They are all fools. Come on. We must go. Lady Artemis needs us." Phoebe followed her lieutenant while Thalia and Clarisse gave Percy apologetic smiles.

"It's alright, guys. I guess I'll just have to work harder to earn their trust." Together they followed the hunters and made it to the van that was there for them to use.

Hours later they arrived in D.C. They parked the van and went into the Smithsonian.

"There must be a section here dedicated to ancient Greece," said Zoe. She walked into the museum with the others following closely behind. Percy stood at the back so that he wouldn't get in the hunters' way. They walked in but couldn't find anything remotely close to what they were looking for. Seeing as how it was midday, they decided to eat lunch in the cafeteria of the Natural History Museum. They sat together but the hunters were engaged in their own conversation. Thalia and Clarisse were talking about spear combat, but Percy wasn't listening. He could feel something was going on. He closed his eyes, thankful that the sunglasses kept anybody from noticing any difference. He reached out with his power. Soon he came across what had caught his attention.

 _Annabeth,_ came a deep voice. Percy recognized it immediately and frowned. _Did you bring what I asked._

 _Yes I did._ Percy had to do everything he could to keep himself from growling. He had never really liked Annabeth but now that she had betrayed them he downright hated her.

 _Good. Put it here_. Percy had a short glimpse as to what was going on. Annabeth was bending over something. Percy thought it looked like the Air and Space Museum. He had gone once with his mother when he was younger. Suddenly, Annabeth jumped back and the vision disappeared. Percy shook his head and opened his eyes.

A shout and screams came from above them. Percy stood up and the others followed suit. He pulled out Anaklusmos. Zoe stared at the sword in shock. Percy just gave her a confused look. He didn't have time to ask her what was going on cause just then a massive roar came from the main entrance of the museum. The Nemean lion was roaring and growling. People ran around screaming. Percy wondered what they were actually seeing. The mist was incredibly strong in the Smithsonian museums. The demigods and the hunters charged the lion. Zoe and Phoebe fanned out and started pelting the lion with arrows. None penetrated its hide, but they managed to infuriate the monster. Thalia and Clarisse closed in and started attacking from the sides, both using electricity to shock the lion. Their spears did not break the lion's skin but the electricity stunned the lion, slowing it down. Unfortunately, even stunned it was still powerful and incredibly fast. Percy challenged it head on dodging its claws and jaws as it snapped and clawed at him. None of his strikes with his sword did anything. He tried to get the beast to open its mouth for the hunters to take it out, but the lion was smart and avoided having its mouth open for too long or too wide. Suddenly, more screams came from the cafeteria. Zoe and Phoebe turned to find several skeleton warriors making their way towards them. They focused their attacks on the warriors, but their arrows did little to the already dead creatures. The lion used the break in attack to pounce on Percy, pinning him to the ground. Percy yelled and released as much power as he could muster. Everything slowed down to a snail's pace. The lion was beginning to bite at Percy's chest. He hauled himself out of the lion's grasp and thrust Anaklusmos as hard as he could down the monster's throat. It exploded in a spray of dust, leaving its pelt behind, just as time returned to normal. Thalia and Clarisse stumbled backwards, startled that the monster had suddenly disappeared. They turned to look at Percy but he was already running towards the hunters.

Zoe and Phoebe were starting to get tired. The warriors were getting closer. They put their bows away and pulled out their hunting knives. The skeletons raised their swords and all charged at once. Zoe and Phoebe paled. They wouldn't be able to hold up against the dark creatures. Just as they were about to clash swords with the skeletons, Percy came barreling into the monsters sending their skeletal remains across the floor. He got up and ran back towards the entrance.

"Run! Come on! We don't have time!" Zoe and Phoebe didn't need to be told twice and ran towards the entrance meeting up with Thalia and Clarisse. The girls ran to the van and jumped in.

"Where's Percy?" asked Thalia, out of breath. Zoe turned around.

"He was just behind me! Ugh! Insolent boy!"

"We have to go back for him!" Zoe shook her head and started the van.

"There's no time. He will find us if he is really supposed to be the one on this quest. If not then just remember the second line of the prophecy." Thalia was about to respond when Clarisse spoke up, her voice barely a whisper.

" _One will pay the ultimate cost._ " Zoe nodded and drove away. Thalia felt a tear rolling down her cheek as she stared out the back praying to all the gods she knew that Percy would be alright. Clarisse put a hand on her shoulder. Thalia could tell that the child of Ares was just as distraught as she was. First they had lost Luke and now Percy.

Back inside of the Smithsonian, Percy capped Anaklusmos and put it back in his pocket. He had finally convinced the others to leave. He was glad they didn't really pay attention to the fact that he wasn't with them. By now they should have been on their way to continue the quest. Percy turned to the skeleton warriors that were slowly reforming back together. He pulled Isorropia out of his watch and brandished his shield. Anaklusmos would be useless against the dead, but his godly weapon would work well. The monsters quavered at the sight of the golden sword. Percy used the hesitation to charge. He stabbed. He thrusted. He ducked, spun, parried, and struck. In minutes all of the monsters had turned to dust, returning to the underworld. He ran back outside putting his shield and sword away, not wanting to stick around when the General and Annabeth realized that their plan had failed.

He ran to the parking lot hoping that there was some last chance that the others hadn't left yet. Unfortunately, they had. Percy stopped and sat down on the curb to catch his breath. Suddenly, a thought came to him. He walked back inside of the museum and found the Nemean lion's pelt lying on the ground. He picked it up and it turned into a nice leather jacket. Percy smiled. It was going to be nice having indestructible armor. Especially if things turned out the way he had foreseen. He went back outside and walked to the street.

"Stethi, O harma diaboles!" he shouted. Suddenly a grey taxi appeared in front of him. He smiled and got in. He found the Gray Sister's sitting inside wrestling over their eye and tooth. "Deino! Persis! Pemphredo!" Percy yelled, getting their attention. The sisters stopped and turned around slowly.

"We haven't been called that in centuries," said Deino.

"Who are you, demigod? I cannot see who you are," said Pemphredo, the eye in her socket.

"My name is Percy Jackson. I am on a quest to save Lady Artemis. Take me to where the others from the quest are." Percy pulled out a bag of drachmas and handed it to Pemphredo. Persis snatched the eye out of her sister's face. She stared at the bag of drachmas. Thankfully none of them had seen Percy conjure the bag from thin air. One of the little powers he had received that morning thanks to the Fleece.

"Hmm," said Persis. "This seems to be fine." Deino stole the eye and looked at the money, smiling evilly.

"Fine, fine we will take you to them." Percy smiled gratefully and sat back. He remembered when he had taken their taxi years ago under a different guise. The taxi sped off and within minutes they arrived at a small camp in the Virginia countryside. Percy tipped each of the sisters and they sped off cackling with glee.

He walked up to the camp and found the girls huddled around a fire trying to stay warm. The beautiful day had turned nasty, the temperature dropping dramatically. As he got closer he heard them talking.

"… we will just have to keep on with the quest. It is obvious that Percy was the one to pay the ultimate cost. We can't let that stop us. Lady Artemis must be saved," said Zoe. Thalia glared at her but didn't say anything. Percy finally decided to make his entrance.

"I'm hurt. You guys didn't wait for me." The girls jumped up, each pulling their weapons out. Zoe and Phoebe both shot arrows at Percy who just watched lazily as the arrows bounced harmlessly off his jacket. The girls' eyes widened in shock before the hunters glared at him.

"You were spying on us, boy?" Percy rolled his eyes, still thankful that his sunglasses were covering his eyes. He shook his head at them.

"No I wasn't. I just got here. The Gray Sisters gave me a ride from the Smithsonian." Thalia and Clarisse ignored the hunters and pulled Percy into a hug.

"What happened to you back there? We thought we lost you!" Percy sat down at the fire with them. He picked up a stick and started poking at it. A sudden thought of his sister Hestia came to mind but he ignored it; for now.

"Well after you guys left, I ran back and took down the skeletons." The hunters gave him skeptical looks.

"How did you defeat them when we couldn't?" asked Phoebe. Percy shrugged staring into the fire.

"Let's just say that I had to do something that I was hoping I wouldn't have to do."

"So you did pay the ultimate cost?" asked Clarisse. Percy shrugged again.

"I guess. So what's the plan?" The hunters kept up their skeptical looks but became serious again.

"We need to keep going west. I think I know where to go. We need to go ask Nereus, the Old Man of the Sea. He should know where Milady is." Percy nodded. He had seen a small glimpse of Nereus earlier. He couldn't see everything in the future, for that would disrupt the balance in the world. Only the Fates themselves could see the future. However, as the god of fate he was given a limited view of what would happen. Just then a thought came to him.

"Hey, what happened to the van?" Zoe blushed and Thalia and Clarisse snickered. Even Phoebe was containing her laughter.

"I may have crashed into a tree a couple miles back," said Zoe. Percy smiled, but he didn't laugh. He didn't need an arrow through his skull. The jacket would protect his torso, but not his face.

"So how are we going to make it west?" Just then a small flash came from behind them. The questers turned around, weapons raised. Zoe and Phoebe held off on launching an arrow, not knowing if it was a friend or foe.

"Put your weapons down, children. I am not your enemy." The five put their weapons down. Standing before them was a small child around nine years old. Percy's eyes widened.

"Hestia," he said, whispering. The goddess of the hearth smiled at Percy. She gave him a knowing look. The others bowed low, but Percy stood frozen in place. Zoe turned at him, furious.

"Bow, you stupid boy!" she hissed. Percy didn't even hear her.

"It's alright Zoe," said Hestia. "I have come to speak with Percy. Alone." The others rose and looked at Percy confused, but he still paid no attention to them. He nodded slightly at the goddess and followed her a little ways away from the camp where they could speak without being overheard.

"You have some explaining to do, Gabriel." Percy paled but sat down on the ground. Hestia sat down with him, brushing her red hair out of her eyes. Percy sighed, took his sunglasses off, and began explaining everything to his sister. After he finished he could barely look up. He felt a hand reach under his chin. Hestia lifted his face to look at her.

"I know why you did what you did. You risked everything in order to save us. Again. I forgive you for leaving me, brother." Percy nodded and smiled, a tear streaking down his cheek. He had pushed away any emotions he had long ago but now that he had all of his memories and had sat down to actually tell everything to Hestia he was overcome with emotion. He was, after all, still twelve years old. He still hadn't really hardened up yet. Hestia wiped the tear from his cheek. "Just don't ever leave us again." Percy laughed, but his laugh was garbled by his tears. He nodded and hugged his sister.

"It's so nice to finally tell someone everything. I have been alone for so long." Hestia smiled knowingly.

"I saw you at camp. I recognized you immediately. You didn't have your memories then did you?" Percy shook his head. "It's no matter. You're back and that's all I care about. I'm guessing you don't want me mentioning anything to the council?" Percy shook his head adamantly.

"I hate to ask this of you, Hestia, but I need you to swear on the Styx not to tell anyone about this." Hestia nodded.

"I swear on the Styx not to reveal anything that I have learned about my brother Gabriel to anyone until he has given me permission." Percy smiled. He stood up and helped the little goddess up. "I must be on my way now, but I am very glad I decided to stop by. I have missed you brother."

"I have missed you as well. Thank you for coming, Hestia." Hestia smiled at him and turned to leave. Before she flashed away, she turned back.

"Gabe, Apollo owns a railway called the Sun West line. Take it and you will reach California in a couple of days." Percy thanked her and she flashed away. Seeing her true form wouldn't have done anything to him, but he couldn't have the others questioning him on why he didn't look away, so he turned and looked at the ground. He returned to the camp.

"What did she want with you, Prissy?"

"She told me that there is a railway that we can take that will take us all the way to California where Nereus lives."

"What railway?" asked Zoe. Percy put his sunglasses back on.

"The Sun West line. Apparently, Apollo owns it." Zoe and Phoebe groaned but didn't say anything. Percy looked up at the sky. The sun was starting to set and the air was getting colder. "We should set up camp for the night. Do we have any tents?" Zoe pulled out a camp with Camp Half-Blood printed on the side.

"Chiron gave this to us before we left," she said. She pulled out three tents. "Phoebe and I will take one, Thalia and Clarisse will take another, and you, boy, can take the last one." Percy nodded and he and Thalia grabbed a tent and started setting it up. Percy finished setting his up even faster than the hunters. They were very impressed but didn't say anything. They just glared at him for showing them up. Percy just rolled his eyes. He forgot how much the hunters took personally. Percy walked into the woods to find more kindling for the fire. When he got back he found that Zoe and Phoebe were gone.

"They went hunting for food," said Thalia. Percy nodded and put the wood by the fire, putting some logs over the slowly dying embers. Soon the fire was roaring even stronger than before. Thalia yawned. "I'm going to get some sleep. Wake me when the hunters return with some food." She climbed into her tent leaving Clarisse and Percy alone. Clarisse stood up as well.

"I'm going to get some sleep too. It's been a long day." Percy nodded.

"Go, it's okay. I'll watch over the camp." Clarisse thanked him and followed Thalia into the tent. Percy pulled his pen out from his pocket and took his sunglasses off. The sun had completely set, and since Artemis was missing the moon wasn't in the sky. Apollo, apparently, did not feel like taking on his sister's duties for the night. Percy uncapped Anaklusmos and stared at the blade. The light from the fire reflected off the sword giving it an eerie glow. The celestial bronze seemed to absorb the fire's light.

An hour later Zoe and Phoebe returned. They ignored Percy but put a couple of hares on the ground beside the fire. Zoe pulled out a hunting knife and started gutting a rabbit. Phoebe did the same with another. Percy watched them work with fascination. It was funny to him that they didn't realize they were sitting next to the man that had taught the two of them how to skin and prepare wild game for food. When the hunters were finished, they put strips of meat on the fire. Percy sighed at the wonderful smell. He forgot how much he loved fresh meat. It didn't take long for the meat to cook and when it was ready Percy got up to let Thalia and Clarisse know what was going on. As he got up the hunters started giving their offering.

"To Lady Artemis, to give her strength," they each said scrapping some of the rabbit into the fire. Percy was just about to make it to the tent when he fell down in shock. "To Lord Gabriel, that he will return soon." Percy felt power rush through him. His eyes started to glow and he crawled backwards away from the camp. Zoe and Phoebe looked at him in shock. It was the first time they had actually seen his eyes.

 _Gold! Like molten gold!_ thought Zoe. There was only one person she knew that had eyes like that. She and Phoebe looked at each other. They slowly realized who was sitting in front of them. Zoe looked back at Percy who looked like he was trying to get as far away as possible. The glow in his eyes began to dim. Soon his was sitting there, panting. Zoe stood up and walked over to him.

"Gabriel?" she asked. Percy gulped.

[LINEBREAK]

Annabeth was not looking forward to meeting with her master. Not after their plan had failed. She had helped the General formulate the plan to capture the demigods but they hadn't fallen for the bait. The stupid demigod Percy just had to stay and help. She walked down the narrow corridor that led to her master's chambers. When she got close, she saw Ethan standing guard. He smirked at her with glee.

"He's waiting for you. Go on in." Annabeth glared at him. He was enjoying her failure all too much. She pushed him to the side, smiling when he grunted in pain. Her smile faded though when she walked inside. The air was calm. That only meant that her master didn't know what had happened.

 _Annabeth._ She got closer. _What is your report?_ She got on her knees in a bow. Her knees trembled.

"We launched the attack on the camp like planned. Unfortunately, the demigods on the quest did not leave as expected."

 _What happened?_

"Th-they stayed within the camps borders and helped fight. We lost over half of the invading force." Her master's anger came with such force that she fell onto her side grasping for breath.

 _You failed?_ The voice practically yelled within her mind.

"Y-yes, master," she said, just barely able to get the words out. The anger calmed down enough for her to breath.

 _Bring in Nakamura. You will pay for your failure, Athena spawn._ Annabeth paled. She didn't know what was going to happen. She walked to the door and motioned for Ethan to come inside. He followed her and bowed before their master's sarcophagus. She couldn't hear what her master told him since he spoke directly into their minds. She couldn't see what he was doing either since it was so dark. She saw the door open to the room and Ethan walked out. Her master did not speak to her at all but she felt his anger still present. Her lips started trembling with fright. A couple of minutes went by and Ethan returned to the room. This time he did not bother closing the door behind him. The room was bright enough for her to see Ethan, but not for her to see the sarcophagus in front of her. She looked at Ethan and paled when she saw who he had brought.

Ethan dragged a squirming Luke Castellan into the room. Luke was gagged and his hands were chained in celestial bronze handcuffs. Ethan smirked at Annabeth when he saw her reaction. Ethan stopped and stared in the direction of the sarcophagus. Annabeth's eyes were set on Luke. He was glaring at her with so much hate and hostility that she felt tears coming to her eyes. She looked away, ashamed. Ethan dragged Luke farther into the darkness until Annabeth could no longer see them. Suddenly, she heard the sound of chains being broken and rustled. Luke screamed through his gag, and Annabeth could hear him thrash against his chains. She closed her eyes and felt a tear run down her cheek.

 _The cost of your failure. He will continue being tortured until I am done with you._ _Then I will release him from his agony._ Annabeth wiped the tear and bowed once more.

"What will you have me do?" The anger from her master turned into cold, sick pleasure.

 _Soon. Everything will be ready soon._ Annabeth nodded and took it as her cue to leave. She made it to the door and shut it behind her as she left. Ethan didn't follow meaning he was probably having a conversation with their master. She didn't care. She had two options: fail her master again and listen to the love of her life be tortured constantly, or do as her master said and free Luke from his pain. She made it to her chambers and collapsed on her bed in tears. The screams and roars from the monsters above her drowned out the noise of her sobs. She only had one choice.

 **A/N: I'm back once again today with the next chapter. Thanks to everyone who has reviewed the story. I appreciate them all. I know that I am still not the best combat writer but I hope I am getting better. If anybody has any ideas, critiques, suggestions, or even just their own opinions on the story please review.**

 **Also, invite all your friends to read and review the story. I love how many people have favorited and followed this story. It means a lot to me. Keep reading and I hope that you enjoyed this chapter. Disclaimer since it's been awhile: I do not own anything related to Percy Jackson and the Olympians or Rick Riordan. This story is not being written for profit.**

 **Hey guys I know its late and chapter 11 still has not been published, but it's been a busy day and I have not had time to sit down and write. It will definitely come out tomorrow and will most likely be a very long chapter. I have also decided that from now on Sundays will be my break day from writing. Expect updates every other day though. Thanks for reading and your patience!**


	11. Chapter 11

"To Lady Artemis, to give her strength," they each said scrapping some of the rabbit into the fire. Percy was just about to make it to the tent when he fell down in shock. "To Lord Gabriel, that he will return soon." Percy felt power rush through him. His eyes started to glow and he crawled backwards away from the camp. Zoe and Phoebe looked at him in shock. It was the first time they had actually seen his eyes.

 _Gold! Like molten gold!_ thought Zoe. There was only one person she knew that had eyes like that. She and Phoebe looked at each other. They slowly realized who was sitting in front of them. Zoe looked back at Percy who looked like he was trying to get as far away as possible. The glow in his eyes began to dim. Soon his was sitting there, panting. Zoe stood up and walked over to him.

"Gabriel?" she asked. Percy gulped. He tried to back away as quickly and quietly as he could, not wanting to wake Thalia and Clarisse. The less they knew the better. Zoe and Phoebe stalked towards Percy. He could see the anger in their eyes. The flickering light from the fire behind them made them look like demons from Tartarus. And he knew from experience not to mess with those. He tried to stand up to defend himself, but in the darkness he didn't see a tree root sticking out of the ground. His ankle tripped and he fell to the ground hard. This time he grew panicked but not about the two hunters looking at him with death in their eyes. He heard Thalia and Clarisse shuffle in their tent. Zoe and Phoebe stopped in their tracks. Percy gave them a pleading look and put a finger up to his mouth. It didn't matter. Thalia and Clarisse climbed out of the tent yawning. The second they saw the food on the fire their eyes lit up and they ran over and started stuffing their faces. Zoe and Phoebe glared one last time at Percy. He flinched and saw the sadistic smiles on their faces.

 _This is not good_ , he said. He wanted to smack himself on the head. He had completely forgotten that the hunters would offer up sacrifices to him. They had ever since he left Olympus. Thalia and Clarisse finally seemed to notice the awkward tension.

"What's going on?" asked Thalia. She saw how frightened Percy was and thought that the hunters were about to do something to him.

 _Thank you, Thalia_ , thought Percy. Zoe and Phoebe returned to the fire pointedly ignoring Percy. Thalia and Clarisse gave them skeptical looks. Percy sat back down beside Thalia, shaking slightly.

"What happened, Perce?" she asked. Clarisse grabbed another rabbit leg off the fire. Percy grabbed some meat and started picking at it.

"I may or may not have told them that they were ruining the meat. They got mad and tried to beat me up," he said pouting. Thalia expected the hunters to defend themselves or even attack Percy, but she was shocked when they just sat there and ignored them. The rest of the night was incredibly awkward; no one said a word. Percy had no idea what to do. He hadn't planned on confronting the hunters till after the quest, if then. He sighed to himself. It was too late now. Plus, the longer he waited the more painful his conversation would be. After everyone finished eating, Clarisse offered to stay awake and keep watch. The others were really too tired except for Thalia who stayed awake with Clarisse to keep her company.

Percy woke up the next morning as early as ever. Zoe was the only other person awake, Clarrise and Thalia had gone to sleep earlier. Percy sighed at sat down across from her. The fire was still blazing so he huddled near it to keep warm. Zoe made a point of avoiding his eyes completely.

"Zoe, we need to talk," said Percy. She still didn't react. Percy got up and sat next to her. "Zoe, talk to me please." Finally she turned. Her dark eyes penetrated into his own.

"Why?" She rasped out, her voice overcome with emotion. Percy put his head in his hands. He knew she wasn't asking about him leaving Olympus. Artemis and he had told the hunters his reasons. No, she wanted to know why he had never returned in the thousands of years since.

"I had to. I didn't have a choice. There were forces at work that I couldn't prevent. There were times I wasn't even on Earth!" Zoe slapped him hard.

"We searched for centuries for you, Gabriel. Or is it Percy now? I don't even know you," she said. "You were a father to me! There were so many times that the hunt needed you! Milady was heartbroken when we couldn't find you! Where the Hades have you been?" Percy sighed and looked up at her.

"I wandered. I never stayed in one place for too long. I helped out with different things, I helped the hunt as much as I could be I couldn't bring myself to come back. I knew it would be thousands of years before I would be able to reveal myself." Percy felt a tear running down his cheek. _Dammit,_ he thought. _I never cry. Why the Hades am I crying?_ Percy wiped the check away furiously.

"I cou- I just couldn't bring myself to show up and then have to leave again. It would have hurt us all too much." Zoe nodded.

"Does Milady know who you really are?" Percy turned to look at her. _At least she doesn't look like she wants to castrate me anymore._

"Yes. During capture the flag I ran into her. Things happened and she found out who I was." Zoe nodded before glaring at him

"So you saw us at camp and just ignored us?" Percy sighed. Suddenly Phoebe came out of her tent. She glared at Percy before noticing how close he was to Zoe. She sat down tentatively beside Zoe.

"What's going on Zoe? Why are you talking to that backstabbing piece of shit?" Percy couldn't help but snort. Phoebe had always been a hard ass. Phoebe glared at him but Zoe put a hand on her shoulder.

"It's ok, Phoebe. Percy and I were catching up. I understand his reasons for not coming to us," she said looking at Percy again. She stared at him coldly once more with a cruel smirk. "But I don't think we can forgive him till we have had some fun first." Phoebe smiled evilly and pulled out her hunting knife. Percy's eyes widened and he rolled away.

"Woah! Woah!" He yelped, arms held up in surrender. "I'm not done yet!" Zoe and Phoebe narrowed their eyes but sheathed their blades and sat back down. Percy joined them but sat across from them leaving the fire as a median.

"A little over twelve years ago," he said. "I was still fully Gabriel. I received a glimpse into the future and found that I had two options. I could either reveal myself once more and be limited in stopping the war will come, or I could risk everything and be free from the ancient laws." Zoe and Phoebe looked at each other confused then looked back at him. Percy began regaling them his tale. He told them about meeting Sally, about growing up as a mortal, finding camp, meeting Chiron, his quests, and most importantly he told them that he didn't have all of his memories when the hunters had arrived. He honestly hadn't recognized them. It took Artemis to fully break his mind free from mortality and remember his life as a god. When Percy finished his story, the girls walked over to him. Percy flinched but didn't move. They sat down and both hugged him tightly.

"We forgive you, Percy. Just please don't leave us again." Percy smiled and returned their hugs.

"Hestia told me the same thing." Zoe looked at him confused.

"Who all knows about you? Do they?" She asked pointing to Thalia and Clarisse's tent. Percy shook his head.

"No, only you two, Artemis, Hestia, Chiron, and my mother Sally know. And it must remain that way until the time is right is that understood?" The girls nodded. "Swear on the Styx. I trust you but I have to be completely sure my identity won't be revealed. If Zeus finds out I'm still around and haven't faded I'm not sure what he will do."

"I swear on the Styx to never reveal Percy's true self to anybody until the time is right," swore both girls. Thunder boomed in the distance and Percy smiled and hugged both girls.

"I missed you both so much. You were like daughters to me." They smiled and each kissed him on the cheek. Before they could say anything they heard a gasp from the tents.

"What the Hades is going on?"

[LINEBREAK]

Artemis trekked through the trees. She had been hunting down a legendary beast for the last several weeks until she had lost the trail completely. She knew she was in California, very close to San Francisco, but her senses were warped. There was a strong power at work that was slowing her down. She decided to give up the search for the beast until she could locate the new source of power.

For days she searched and found nothing. Finally she felt the power coming from the top of Mount Tamalpais. She climbed the mountain until she reached a small overgrown path. She followed up towards the top when she came to a giant tree. Her eyes widened. The tree was guarded by a giant dragon with a hundred heads. _Ladon_ , she thought. This wasn't good. She was standing outside of Hera's garden, a place that Hera had not revealed the location of after Olympus had moved to New York from Greece. Artemis skirted around the tree of immortality, not waking the sleeping dragon. She finally reached the top of the mountain and nearly fainted from shock. Mount Othrys, the Titan's stronghold from the first Olympian war, was slowly rebuilding itself. She crept closer as quietly as possible, afraid that the Titans were within. Suddenly, she heard a grunt of pain from beside her. She whirled around knives in hand when she immediately sheathed them. A young maiden was trapped beneath the sky. Artemis did not recognize the girl but could sense she was a demigod. She rushed to the girl's side.

"Child! Let me take the sky from you," she said. The girl didn't respond, but grunted with pain, her head nodding marginally. Artemis did not know what she was doing but couldn't leave a poor defenseless maiden trapped under such a terrible fate. She shuffled beside the girl and took hold of the sky. "When I say three, drop the sky. I will hold it for you to get out. One. Two. Three." The girl dropped the sky and it took all of Artemis's strength and willpower not to collapse from the pain. She had no idea how the girl had managed it. _She would make an excellent hunter_ , she thought. She looked up to see where the girl had gone but found nothing.

"Poor, poor Artemis. Trapped beneath the sky," came a voice. "You simply cannot help but aid a poor defenseless maiden, can you?" Artemis looked up again and growled. The girl had returned but it wasn't a defenseless demigod. It was Annabeth Chase, Olympus's betrayer.

[LINEBREAK]

"What the Hades is going on?" Thalia hissed at them. Her face betrayed her complete and utter shock. Percy stood up immediately, Zoe and Phoebe were too embarrassed to do anything.

"It's not what you think, Thals." Thalia glared at him.

"Then what is it?" She kept her voice low not to wake Clarisse but she was pissed and confused. Percy sighed and ran his hand through his hair.

"There's something you don't know about me. Well actually a lot you don't know. In fact I didn't even know it until just recently." Thalia narrowed her eyes at him. "My full name is Gabriel Percy Jackson. I am the eldest son of Kronos and Rhea. I am the god of balance." Thalia's eyes flashed, cackling with electricity in her anger.

"I said tell me what's going on. Not lie to me!" Thalia sent a shock into Percy making him squirm and his hair stick up on end.

"I swear on the Styx I'm telling the truth!" Thunder boomed in the distance and Thalia's eyes calmed immediately. She fell to the ground in shock once again.

"Y-you're a god?" Percy nodded. "Why didn't you tell me? I thought we were friends!" Percy sighed and bent down in front of her.

"I didn't really know who I was until just before this quest, Thalia. We were in camp and I didn't know who I could trust. Can I trust you, Thalia? There are things you should know but I won't know unless I can trust you." Thalia slowly nodded and looked into Percy's eyes. Her eyes widened when Percy's glowed a bright gold.

Percy looked right into Thalia, into her very soul. It was the most powerful gift that the Fleece had returned to him. He looked through Thalia's mind and saw who she really was. Her habits, her hobbies, her likes and dislikes, but most importantly, her character. Percy nodded and stood up offering her a hand. She took it and he helped her to her feet.

"I need you to swear on the Styx to not repeat anything I tell you until I let you know its ok." Thalia nodded and swore. Thunder boomed again. Percy smiled at her and told her all about himself. When he finished Thalia gave him a smile.

"So my best friend is a god?" Percy just smiled. "Well I guess that has its advantages." Percy rolled his eyes but smiled. It was good having his best friend know the truth.

"Remember, Pinecone Face, you can't tell anybody not even Clarisse." She nodded.

"You still haven't explained why I saw the hunters kissing your cheek." Percy blushed as did the hunters who had remained uncharacteristically quiet throughout it all.

"Well you see, I helped Artemis start the hunt. Originally we were both the patrons. I even helped bring a couple of the hunters to Artemis, including Zoe here. Phoebe I helped rescue from the Chimera." Thalia's eyes widened.

"You and Artemis started the hunt _together_?" she asked incredulously. Percy nodded sheepishly. "But isn't she a maiden goddess?" Zoe and Phoebe roared with laughter. Percy's blush deepened even more.

"Uh, yes she is. We aren't together like that." Zoe and Phoebe had to wipe the tears because they were laughing so hard. Their laughter woke Clarisse who climbed out of the tent giving everyone weird looks. Thalia was staring at Percy confused, Percy was blushing like a school boy, and the hunters were rolling on the floor, clutching their stomachs laughing their heads off.

"What did you do, Prissy?" Percy glared at her.

"I did nothing. These girls are making fun of me." Thalia smirked.

"Oh poor baby Percy." Percy grumbled and walked into the woods to go look for fire wood. When he got back, the camp was all packed up and the fire was doused. The sun was just beginning to rise behind the trees.

"Thanks for getting me and telling me we were leaving. Could have saved me the trouble of getting useless wood." Clarisse smirked at him.

"Where would the fun be in that?" she asked, rhetorically. Percy packed up his tent and put his things in his backpack. The questers soon were back on the road walked west towards where Hestia had told them Sun West line was. It took them hours to arrive in a small city which conveniently had the train they were waiting for. Percy guessed Hestia had convinced Apollo into putting one there. They paid for their tickets and got onto the train. They were all in the last compartment together. The train left after a couple of minutes and soon they were rolling away, watching the American heartland fly by.

The hours flew by quickly. The questers spent the time getting to know each other. Zoe and Phoebe told them of the different monsters they had faced and all the great times they had in the hunt. Clarisse was impressed that Percy had managed to get the hunters to respect him. _Must have been battling the Nemean Lion and the skeleton warriors back in D.C._ , she thought. Soon they arrived in New Mexico. The train stopped to pick up passengers, but that was when things went wrong.

Screams came from the front of the train and the questers could see people running out of the train pushing and shoving in their haste. They pulled out their weapons, careful not to impale each other in the small compartment. Percy uncapped Anaklusmos and stuck his head out into the corridor to see what was going on. Another group of skeleton warriors were marching down the train searching each room. Percy jumped back into the compartment and closed the door shut. The others were about to ask him what was wrong when he put a finger up to his lips.

"Skeleton warriors," he whispered. The other's eyes widened. Percy pointed at the window. It was just big enough for them to crawl out. "I'll hold them off until you guys get out." They tried to protest but Percy shushed them. "Don't worry. I'll be right behind you." Zoe glared at him.

"That's what you said back in the Smithsonian. Just make sure you do come back." Then in an even lower whisper so only Percy could hear, "you don't want me to tell Milady that you came back only to die on the quest to save her do you?" Percy paled and shook his head no. Zoe smirked and patted his face. "Good boy." Percy glared at her but couldn't help but grin.

"Now go!" Clarisse broke the window with the butt of her spear and the girls climbed out of the train. Just as Percy had expected, the warriors were drawn by the sound and suddenly there were five skeleton warriors clawing at the door. Percy locked the door and tried to climb out of the window but it was too small for him. _How the Hades did Clarisse get out?_ He thought. She was easily bigger than he was. Percy turned around to face the skeletons. He had no choice. He had to fight or die. He capped Anaklusmos, putting it in his pocket and took out Isorropia. The skeletons shrieked at the sight but clawed even harder at the door. It didn't take them long at all to break the door down. Percy launched himself off of the side of the train and lunged at a skeleton. Isorropia went right through its ribcage disintegrating it completely. A sword came towards his face and he just barely got his arm up in time to block it. The Nemean pelt kept his body intact but the blow from the sword broke his wrist. Percy screamed in pain. He brought out his shield and backed up into the corner. He crouched low so that the shield would protect most of his body and he kept his sword up to protect his head. The skeleton warriors stabbed and swung their swords to no avail. Percy managed to keep them off of him but his arms were growing tired. In his full god state, he never felt fatigue fighting such simple monsters. However, as a demigod he wasn't used to fighting this many beasts at one time. Even during the battle at Camp Half-Blood he had only fought one monster at a time and the rare times that he fought two, Chiron or the hunters helped him out. This time he was all alone.

"Yeehaw!" came a yell from just outside of the train across from Percy. The skeleton warriors turned and Percy used the distraction to impale another one of them. It collapsed into golden dust. The three remaining skeletons were confused. Two turned back to Percy only to have one be impaled by Isorropia and the other have its head smacked hard off of its body with Percy's shield. Suddenly, the other side of the train was ripped off and there sat Clarisse on a giant Erymanthian boar. Percy stood there gob smacked. The boar charged the last skeleton standing scattering its bones everywhere. Percy saw that the two remaining skeletons were reforming quickly and hauled himself up onto the boar's back using its tusks as leverage. Clarisse smirked at him and smacked the boar's ass causing it to lurch forward crashing through the other side of the train. The boar took them deeper in the New Mexico desert where they eventually came to a stop beside a large metal fence. Percy and Clarisse slid off the boar's back, though Percy had to grit his teeth at the pain in his wrist. They found the others waiting by a gate for them.

"What happened to your wrist, Perce?" asked Thalia. Zoe and Phoebe looked concerned, which confused Clarisse greatly. Percy shrugged, careful not to move his wrist at all.

"I think I broke it. The Nemean pelt may keep me from getting cut but I can sure as Hades feel the blows that people land on me." Zoe and Phoebe smiled evilly. They were happy to know that they could beat him for leaving them without killing him. Percy eyes them worryingly. Thalia didn't seem to notice their looks. She reached into her bag and pulled out an ambrosia square. Percy took it gratefully and soon his wrist was good as new.

"How did you heal so quickly?" asked Clarisse. "Even ambrosia will take a while to heal a broken bone." Percy shrugged.

"Guess I'm just better than you, Larry." Clarisse glared at him and punched his shoulder. Percy pouted much to the girls' amusement. Percy looked up at the gate. "The Junkyard of the Gods," he read off of the sign. "Must be Hephaestus'." The girls nodded they had come to the same conclusion. "Well, Zoe it's your quest. You make the calls." Zoe gave him a haughty look.

"Yes, boy, I will make the calls. I say we go through it. The boar obviously brought us here for a reason." The questers didn't have anything against the plan so they opened the gate and walked into the junkyard.

[LINEBREAK]

Blood poured down Percy's cheek from a large gash above his right eye. Zoe and Phoebe were relentlessly firing arrows at the enemy from behind a broken down truck. Clarisse was laying behind the hunters, a large wound on her side. Thalia was busy trying to keep her heart pumping by sending electric shocks every now and then. Percy shut everything out though and focused on what was in front of them. They had found the truck, and needing a ride to San Francisco, had climbed in. The keys were in the ignition and Zoe had turned the truck on only to trigger the junkyard's defense mechanism. A giant automaton, which Zoe had called Talos, came to life and began attacking them. He had smashed the hood of the truck, reducing the engine to scraps of metal. Clarisse had been impaled by a piece of shrapnel. Zoe and Phoebe had dragged her out of the truck and gave her as much medical attention as they could before they started firing arrows at the automaton. Percy charged the automaton and fought valiantly. However, none of his strike did anything, not even Isorropia. He managed to lure Talos away from the truck to by the girls time. Zoe left Phoebe to keep firing the arrows and knelt down by Thalia. She pulled out her own medical pouch and took a bowl from it. She poured some nectar into the bowl and put an ambrosia square into it. She mashed the holy foods together making a paste. She undid the bandages that she had wrapped around Clarisse and smeared the paste over the wound. Clarisse stopped sweating and Thalia could see the medicine was slowly helping the child of Ares. Zoe nodded to Thalia.

"Go help Percy. Maybe electricity will stop Talos." Thalia nodded and pulled out her spear and shield. She rushed to where Percy was ducking and dodging the automaton. Percy had put his sword away and was just using his shield. There was no point in having a sword out if it wasn't doing anything. Thalia came up from behind Talos and found a small hatch. She climbed up the automaton's leg and entered the hatch. She found the motherboard for the giant chunk of metal and put her hands on the wires. She closed her eyes, praying to Zeus, and unleashed as much electricity as she could into the automaton's mainframe. Talos backed off from its attack on Percy and went rigid. The electricity crashed the computer chip and soon the automaton fell to the ground. Percy put his shield away and wiped the dust and blood out of his eyes and face.

"Thalia!" he screamed. He ran to the automaton's leg where he had seen Thalia climb into a hatch and ripped the door off. He found Thalia lying inside covered in dust and grime. Percy checked her pulse and breathed a sigh of relief when he found one. She was still alive. He lifted her up and carried her out of Talos's leg over to the truck where Phoebe, Zoe, and a now conscious Clarisse were sitting catching their breath. He put Thalia on the ground and smacked her face. She lurched up gasping for breath sending a shock into Percy. Percy's eyes widened and he convulsed on the ground. The hunters and Clarisse laughed so hard that Clarisse gasped in pain. Zoe put a new bandage on her. Thalia finally seemed to realize what she was doing and stopped. She glared at Percy who was staring up at the clouds, hair sticking up on end, and his clothes burnt charred except for his leather jacket.

"Don't do that again, Golden Boy." Percy nodded barely still not sure what the Hades had happened. Zoe stood up, helping Clarisse to her feet. Phoebe put Clarisse's arm around her shoulders to support her. Thalia helped Percy up, though he took her hand hesitantly. When he stood up, she sent a small jolt of electricity into his hand making him yelp and spring away from her. She smirked evilly at him. "So what do we do now?" she asked. Zoe looked around.

"Well I'm guessing that Talos was the only defense Hephaestus put in place here. It's not like children of Zeus are very common. I'm sure we can find another car to get us to California." They split up and searched the junkyard. Finally, Thalia found a small van with the keys in the ignition. They hopped in, laying Clarisse down in the back, and took off. A couple hours later they found out why Hephaestus had thrown the van away. It broke down and they had to drag themselves across the desert to the nearest town. By then it was getting late. They decided to get a taxi and head for Hoover Dam which was half way to San Francisco.

It was midnight by the time they got to Hoover Dam. Zoe pulled out some mortal money and payed for two rooms. The girls stayed in one and Percy, much to his enjoyment, got a room to himself. They woke up the next morning and headed out to Hoover Dam. Zoe wanted to ask the information desk what the quickest way to get to San Francisco was. The lady at the front desk was incredibly rude and Phoebe had to pull Zoe away before she did anything to her. Frustrated, they went to the café and ordered some breakfast. They talked about what they planned to do now. Percy tried to see a glimpse into the future but he couldn't see anything. The Fates, it seemed, wanted some things to remain a mystery.

"Excuse me," came a voice from the table beside them. They looked over a found a girl with bright red hair looking at them. "I couldn't help but over hear that you guys needed to get to San Francisco." Zoe looked at her questioningly.

"We might," she said slowly. The redheaded girl smiled at them.

"Well my family is on the way there right now. We only stopped here to do some sight-seeing but we plan on leaving in an hour or so. Would you guys like a ride?" Percy looked confused.

"How can you possibly fit your family and us five in a car?" The girl blushed and looked down at her food.

"Well actually it is just me and my butler," she said embarrassed. Zoe and Phoebe looked confused but the demigods looked at her in awe.

"You have a butler?" asked Clarisse incredulously. The girl nodded.

"My dad is a business man is really rich. They don't spend time with me so my butler decided to take me around the country to see different things. We want to go see the Golden Gate bridge." The questers nodded. "We have more than enough room. We can easily take all of you and your luggage to San Francisco. Are you guys going there for a trip?" They looked at each other uneasily.

"I guess you could say that," said Percy. "We go to school in New York and we have Thanksgiving break this week. We decided to spend it looking at monuments throughout the Southwest." He looked at the others afraid. He shrugged his shoulders helplessly. He had no idea what excuse to come up with. He couldn't just say they were demigods and hunters tracking down the lost goddess Artemis who may or may not be captured by the Titans. The girl seemed to accept his explanation and smiled.

"I live in New York too. My name is Rachel," she said holding her hand out. "What's yours?" Percy shook her hand.

"Percy. Percy Jackson."

"Thalia."

"Zoe."

"Clarisse."

"Phoebe." With the introductions out of the way Rachel stood up.

"Nice to meet you guys. Come with me. Our limo is this way." They stood up and followed Rachel. Percy turned to Thalia and Clarisse.

"Did she just say limo?"

 **A/N: I'm finally back with another chapter. The confrontation between Percy and the hunters was a little challenging so I hope that you all liked it. Please keep on reviewing, they are all very helpful and encouraging. Hope you enjoyed this chapter!**


	12. Chapter 12

Annabeth smirked. Artemis had fallen for her trap perfectly. Now all she had to do was wait for the hunters and demigods to arrive. She walked back into the ruins of Mt. Othrys. Atlas, the General, was standing over a table going over plans. She bowed before him. He never looked up. She walked around him and went down a side corridor where her room was. Ethan Nakamura was sitting on her bed playing with his sword. She glared at him, her hands on her hips.

"What the Hades do you think you're doing here, Nakamura?" Ethan put his sword down and stood up. He walked around her, though she refused to look him in the eyes.

"Our master has a plan for you, Chase." He ran a finger down her neck. She tried her hardest not to shiver. Ethan made her sick to her stomach. "I think I have plans for you too." Annabeth elbowed him hard, catching him in the gut. He doubled over and she turned and kicked him in the face. He fell to floor clutching his now bleeding nose. Annabeth smiled warmly.

"Well you tell our master that I'll be there as soon as I finish with Artemis." Ethan couldn't do anything but moan in pain. Annabeth rolled her eyes in disgust. She walked back out of her room taking her time to stomp on Ethan's crotch on her way out. She smiled with satisfaction when he began crying. She walked back into the chamber where she had last seen Atlas, but he was no longer there. She went outside hoping to have some fun taunting Artemis when she saw Atlas standing there watching the goddess struggle.

"I wonder what I will do with you, Artemis," said Atlas. He pulled out a dagger and pointed it at the goddess. "I could find another to take your place and force you to become mine. Oh how I would love to get my hands on you. I wonder what my daughter would say if she knew." Artemis managed to spit at his feet. Annabeth continued to watch, amused. Atlas grimaced at the wad of spit on the ground. "Tsk, tsk I had hoped you had more manners than that." He walked right up to her. He put his dagger under her neck, pressing it so close that a bead of golden ichor dripped onto the blade. "I will have you soon, goddess. When the demigods come for you I will show them just how powerful the Titans really are. Then I will stop at nothing to raze Olympus to the ground." He pulled the blade away and wiped the ichor on his shirt. He turned and finally noticed Annabeth standing there. "What do you want?" he growled. Annabeth walked up to him confidently, as if boasting that she were above him.

"Remember, Atlas. You can't disrupt our master's plans. There will grave consequences for you if you do." Atlas came right up to her and looked her in the eye. Annabeth began to grow nervous, but her pride wouldn't let her betray anything.

"I do as I please. Our master isn't back yet. Until then I am in charge." Atlas shoved her to the side and walked back up to the ruins.

"We will see about that," said Annabeth under her breath. She looked back at Artemis who was struggling to keep the sky up. Annabeth shook her head and followed Atlas.

[LINEBREAK]

Percy and the others followed Rachel outside where a rather large limo was waiting. When they got there, Rachel turned around to look at them.

"Do you guys have your stuff at the hotel?" The looked at each other sheepishly.

"We don't have anything other than this." Rachel looked at them confused. They only had a backpack each.

"Are you guys backpacking across the country?" Percy turned to the others and nodded.

"Yeah, we decided to go cross country. It's more fun like that." Rachel smiled. A rather large man got out of the front seat and walked up to them.

"Ms. Dare, are we ready?" Rachel turned to the man and nodded.

"Yes, thank you. These are my friends. They need a ride to San Francisco." The man nodded and walked back to the driver's seat.

"Real talkative isn't he?" asked Clarisse. Rachel laughed.

"He can be when he wants to be. He's got tons of great stories to tell." Rachel climbed into the limo and the others followed. Percy sat directly across from her and felt her staring at him. The tension in the room began to build and he began to feel incredibly uncomfortable and Rachel must have noticed since she looked at him apologetically.

"I'm sorry," she said. "I've just never seen anybody with golden eyes before. I noticed them earlier but didn't think it was appropriate to ask about, I'm sorry." Percy just laughed and waved a hand.

"It's alright. Lots of people ask about them." Clarisse and Thalia both raised their hands to show that they too had asked him. Rachel looked relieved and the tension flooded out. Soon the six of them were laughing and telling stories. The demigods and hunters were careful not to give anything away to Rachel. For Zoe and Phoebe it was much harder than Percy who had grown up as a regular mortal. Despite their difficulty Zoe and Phoebe really began to enjoy talking with Rachel. She fit easily into the group of friends. Percy was a bit saddened to think that they would never see her again once they reached San Francisco.

Nine hours later they finally arrived outside of the city. They saw the Golden Gate bridge and Rachel pulled out a camera and started taking as many pictures as she could. Percy, Thalia, and Clarisse were impressed too having never seen it. Zoe and Phoebe had come this way frequently with the hunt. Rachel had her butler take them to the beach. They parked and she got out with her friends. She gave them all a hug. Percy smiled at her and stuck his hand out.

"If you really want to learn more, take this," he said handing her a golden drachma. "Find a rainbow and throw this into it saying 'O, Iris, Goddess of the Rainbow, accept my offering.' Then say my name and you'll be able to see and talk to me. I won't be able to talk for a while but maybe in a couple of months you can call." Rachel thanked her new friends and got back into the limo. She rolled down the window and waved as she drove off. The questers continued towards the beach, though Clarisse and Thalia kept teasing Percy about his "new girlfriend." Phoebe pulled him to the side.

"Artemis is going to _love_ hearing about this," she whispered. Percy paled and tried to show her that he was pleading for her not to say anything. She just smirked and caught up with Zoe at the head. After a while and many wrong turns, they finally reached the coast.

"What are we looking for?" asked Clarisse.

"Nereus, the old man of the sea. Legend has it that if you can catch him he will answer any question you might have," said Zoe. They nodded and started looking around the beach. Finally, Percy found who they were looking for. He recognized Nereus from his past. He pointed him out to the others.

"That's Nereus?" asked Thalia. "He looks like Santa's homeless brother!" Percy smirked.

"Yes, but he is actually incredibly hard to catch. He can turn into anything he likes. We will have to get close to him. Who wants to catch him?" The girls backed away leaving him standing by himself. He frowned. "Oh no, come on I don't want to!" Zoe smiled innocently.

"Come on Percy. Do it for us," she said. Phoebe nodded. Percy glared at them. He knew they were doing this to him as punishment.

"Fine," he said. He stomped over to Nereus and the old man into a head lock. Nereus was so startled and confused that he didn't even attempt to escape. "Answer my question, old man." Nereus growled.

"Stupid brat! How dare you grab an old man like this? Police! Police!" Percy put his other hand over the man's mouth, muffling him.

"Shut up and just answer my question and I'll let you go. I've got places to be." Nereus finally stopped squirming. "Where is Artemis?" Nereus scoffed.

"That's your question?" he asked incredulously. "She's on Mt. Tamalpais. You should know that Mr. God of Balance." Percy dropped the old man.

"How do you know who I am," he asked dangerously. Nereus backed away slowly, his eyes wide in fear.

"I know many things, my lord." Percy glared at him.

"Swear on the Styx that you will not reveal who I am unless I permit you." Nereus swore and wasted no time in diving into the water. Percy shook his head. He didn't know what Artemis was doing on Mt. Tamalpais but it couldn't be good. He walked back to the girls who were sitting on the sand laughing. He glared at them.

"Har, har, har," he said. "Really funny. Next time you tackled the fat lobster." He pointed at Zoe and she just laughed at him. The girls stood up with him.

"What did he have to say?" asked Zoe.

"He said that Artemis is on Mt. Tamalpais," he responded. He looked at them. "Any of you happen to know where that is?" Phoebe and Zoe nodded.

"It's just north of here," said Zoe. The questers put their backpacks back on and began the long hike to the mountain.

[LINEBREAK]

Ethan could not describe his glee. He hated Annabeth Chase and he would prove to her he was their master's favorite. He had convinced the master to let him torture Annabeth. The master had not needed much convincing at all. Ethan dragged a struggling Luke down from Othrys to where Artemis was holding the sky. Annabeth was standing there making little cuts all over the goddess's body. Artemis was covered in sweat and ichor. Ethan brought Luke up to Annabeth. Her eyes widened in surprise. Luke glared at her, though he couldn't talk due to his gag. Ethan smirked at her.

"Master wants to test your loyalty to the cause," he said. Annabeth stood up a little straighter.

"Go ahead," she said. "I'm the one that will be leading our master's army into battle." Ethan smiled.

"We will see about that." He dragged Luke over to Artemis and forced him into a position to take the sky. He kicked Artemis out from under the sky letting the full weight fall on Luke's shoulders. Even through his gag they could hear his screams of agony. Annabeth turned away. Ethan put chains on the goddess though she was too tired to resist. He walked up to Annabeth and grabbed her face and put his dagger up to her throat. "Prove your worth, Athena spawn." Annabeth glared and shoved him off. She pulled her dagger out and dragged Artemis back towards Othrys. Ethan didn't know what to do.

"Where do you think you're going?" he called out. She didn't look back. She just kept dragging the goddess of the hunt towards the Titan stronghold. Ethan stayed out enjoying watching the demigod struggle under the sky. Even from this far away he could hear the goddess screaming in pain. _Good,_ he thought. _She's making herself useful,_ finally.

[LINEBREAK]

Zoe led the way across San Francisco. They found a small boat to take them across the bay towards the mountain. When they arrived they looked up in awe. The mountain was two thousand feet high and dark clouds were swirling around. It was a terrifying yet incredible sight. They stopped briefly to eat before they began their trek up the mountain. Percy hummed trying to lighten the mood, but it did little. They were all growing increasingly nervous. They reached a small clearing on the mountain. A beautiful tree stood in the middle. On its branches hung golden apples. Percy's eyes widened.

"Hera's tree of immortality," he whispered. The others looked at it in awe, but Zoe just glared at the tree. Percy didn't understand what was making her so upset. They found a path that went past the tree and began walking on it. Suddenly, four beautiful girls appeared before them. Zoe gave them a look so angry that Percy paled.

"What do you five want?" They asked in unison.

"Get out of our way," said Zoe. She tried to shove her way past but the girls blocked her. "Get away now!" The girls glared at her.

"Do you hear something?" asked one. The others shook their heads.

"No. All I see and hear are three demigods and a hunter." Percy and the others looked absolutely confused. "You are no one to us, Zoe Nightshade." Percy stepped up, angry that they were treating his best friend and daughter, well she had been like a daughter long ago, like that. He pulled out Anaklusmos and pointed it at them.

"You will get out of our way," he commanded. They did not look at him but responded.

"We are the Hesperides. We guard this tree from any that might try to steal from it. It is our duty. Even when some betray us," they glared at Zoe. Zoe returned the look. Percy started to see the resemblance. _Zoe must have been one of them_ , he thought. He tried to remember Zoe's story of how he had met her. He knew he had rescued her and brought her to the hunt, but he couldn't think of where or how he had found her.

"I don't care who the Hades you are. I said get out of the way." This time the Hesperides turned to look at him. They were about to tell him off when they saw his eyes. They shrunk back in shock and fear.

"Right away, master." Percy smirked.

"Good girls, now run back to where you came from and leave us alone." The Hesperides nodded and disappeared. Zoe looked at Percy in amazement.

"They never do that!" Percy just shrugged. He knew he couldn't give a real explanation since Clarisse still didn't know everything.

"I guess they just saw how awesome I really am." The girls glared at him.

"You sound like Apollo," said Phoebe. Percy smiled innocently at her.

"Come on, we still have a ways to go," he said. The girls grudgingly left him alone and followed him up the mountain. It took another hour of hard, rigorous climbing before they finally reached the top. Zoe and Percy's eyes widened in fear.

"Mt. Othrys," breathed out Percy. Zoe nodded, not trusting her voice to speak. This was not good.

"Wasn't Mt. Othrys destroyed after the Titan war?" asked Phoebe. Zoe nodded.

"Yes, and if it's already this far repaired it means that the Titans have returned and are preparing for war." The demigods paled and pulled out their weapons. Zoe started them on the path towards the ruins when they heard a laugh.

"Welcome! We have been waiting for a long time for you five!" Percy uncapped Anaklusmos and the hunters aimed their bows at the ruins. From behind the walls came Annabeth. Thalia glared at her old friend.

"Annabeth! How could you betray us?" Annabeth rolled her eyes.

"The gods are weak. I have more power and intelligence than the Olympians. The Titans know this and have given me power. I am more powerful than any demigod, Thalia. Join us. You could feel the same way I do." Thalia glared at her with disgust.

"I will never join you!" Annabeth shrugged but before she could respond two more figures joined her.

"That is a shame, little demigod." Zoe paled. Atlas walked out, great sword in hand. "You are making a grave mistake if you think you have a choice." Zoe stepped forward. "Ah, daughter. I have missed you immensely. Your sisters told me you had betrayed them. You seem to know what betrayal feels like. Join us. I will restore you to your former glory." Zoe pointed her bow at him.

"Never," she hissed out. Atlas frowned.

"Ethan, show them what they came for." Percy finally recognized the other figure as the kid he, Luke, and Clarisse had faced in the Sea of Monsters last year. The boy smiled and pointed to their right. The looked over and Zoe and Phoebe shrieked. Artemis was under the sky, ichor dripping off her body into a puddle on the ground. Her face was bruised and Percy could see she had several broken ribs. His eyes grew hard in rage. Zoe and Phoebe rushed to their mistress's side. She could barely lift her head to look at them. Percy began to shake. He couldn't bear to see Artemis in such a state. He looked back at Atlas and the others. They were smiling and Ethan was even laughing. Percy felt his eyes begin to glow a dark gold. His arms and legs began to tingle and he felt his godly power coursing through his veins. Clarisse tried to follow him, but Thalia held her back shaking her head. Zoe left Phoebe by their lady to try and heal her as well as she could. She ran to the side and aimed an arrow at Ethan. They never looked at her. All three were watching Percy in trepidation. As he got closer, his entire body began to glow. He put Anaklusmos back in his pocket and pulled out Isorropia and his golden shield. Atlas' eyes widened in shock. He now truly felt fear.

"Impossible," he whispered. "They said you were gone. That you faded." Annabeth and Ethan just looked at the Titan confused.

"He's just a demigod," said Ethan. Atlas glared at him.

"He's no demigod. I've only known one person to have eyes like that, and that sword belongs to only one man. That's Gabriel the God of Balance." Ethan and Annabeth just looked at each other. They laughed.

"Right. Percy Jackson is the god of balance. And I'm Athena," said Annabeth. Atlas just glared at her.

"Quiet, girl. You know not what you speak of." By now Percy was half way towards them. His anger growing quickly and his body glowing brighter and brighter. Zoe turned to Thalia, Clarisse, and Phoebe.

"Close your eyes! He's turning into his godly form!" Clarisse just looked confused, so Thalia dragged her to the ground and forced her to close her eyes. Just as they closed their eyes they felt an explosion of power. Thalia could see the light through her eyelids, but refused to open them no matter how tempted she was.

Percy was angry. No he was beyond angry. He felt his godly form straining for release. He barely heard Zoe tell the others to close their eyes and that's all it took. He exploded in a bright golden light. Annabeth and Ethan were thrown backwards against the wall, knocking them out. Atlas raised his sword fearfully but walked towards Percy.

"You dare raise your sword against me, Atlas?" Atlas closed his eyes and took a deep breath.

"Aye," he said. He opened his eyes and glared at Percy. Despite being in godly form, Percy could not grow any bigger than normal. Being a demigod limited him in that regard.

"Then prepare to feel the sky once more." Percy charged the Titan. He leaped into the air and brought his sword down in a powerful arc. Atlas raised his great sword to defend himself. The clashing of the swords together sent a shower of sparks against them. Atlas kicked Percy in the stomach sending him sprawling against the ground. He stabbed at Percy, but the god managed to roll out of the way. He slashed Atlas' arm causing golden ichor to gush out. Atlas roared in pain. He struck at Percy with his sword. Percy ducked one swing and blocked another with his shield. Percy stabbed at the Titan, catching Atlas in the wrist. The Titan dropped his sword. Percy kicked the sword away and swung Isorropia. Atlas jumped out of the way and a spear materialized in his hands. Percy returned his shield to his wrist and pulled Anaklusmos out. He uncapped the sword with his mouth and attacked the Titan with renewed vigor. He twirled, swinging both swords. Atlas parried each strike but was unable to launch any offensive. Percy rolled to the side and made to stab Atlas with both swords, but Atlas was expecting it. He threw his spear at Percy. The spear shot through the air and Percy couldn't stop it in time. The spearhead impaled him in the stomach knocking him backwards. Instantly, he reverted back to his normal form. Atlas ripped his spear out of Percy's body. When he didn't move, Atlas smirked.

Zoe noticed the change and looked up.

"Percy!" She screamed. She pointed her bow at her father and began firing arrow after arrow at him. Several of the arrows hit him in the chest, but none of them really hurt him. Thalia and Clarisse stood back up and charged the Titan with their spears. Thalia pointed her shield at him. He recoiled slightly when he saw the copy of Medusa's face on the shield. One of Zoe's arrows found a chink in the Titan's armor penetrating his back. Atlas clutched his back.

"I will kill you for that," he roared. Zoe stood her ground defiantly. Atlas attempted to charge his daughter. He lunged at her with his spear but it was blocked by a golden sword. He looked down to see Percy standing there. Where the spear had previously been there wasn't even a trace of blood or ichor. Atlas recoiled in fright.

"I killed you," he said backing away. Percy glared at him.

"You cannot kill me. I am more powerful than you can even imagine." Percy knocked the spear out of Atlas' hands and lunged at him. Atlas tried to defend himself, but Percy's attacks were fast and with both swords. Atlas felt the blades cutting into his flesh all over. He tried backing away but Percy did not relent. Finally, Percy smirked at him and kicked him hard in the chest. Atlas fell backwards crashing into something. Suddenly, he felt the weight of the sky on his shoulders once more.

"No!" he bellowed. Phoebe pulled Artemis to the side, finally able to fully clean all of her wounds. Percy returned Isorropia to his watch, and capped Anaklusmos. Zoe ran up to him and hugged him tightly.

"I thought you were dead!" Percy just shook his head. He pointed to his Nemean leather jacket.

"The spear hit me but didn't actually impale me. I grabbed onto the spear making it look like it had. He fell for it, thankfully." Zoe nodded and hugged him again before joining Phoebe in helping Artemis. Percy looked around for Thalia and Clarisse and found them putting Annabeth and Ethan in chains. Thalia had also found Luke in the ruins and had brought him out. Percy frowned. His friend did not look good at all.

"I'm sorry I didn't let you guys have any fun." Thalia gave him a playful glare, but Clarisse's glare was anything but a joke.

"You lied to me, Percy. I thought I could trust you." Percy ran a hand through his hair. He felt something sticky and pulled it back to find his hand covered in blood. He shook his head and looked at Clarisse.

"I never lied to you. I didn't have all of my memories for a long time. I got them all just before this quest, but to protect you all I had to hid myself. Zoe and Phoebe recognized me from my past, and Thalia unfortunately stumbled in on my conversation with the hunters. I swear on the Styx that I did not mean to lie to you, Clarisse." Thunder boomed in the distance. She gave him a watchful look but nodded.

"I expect to hear about everything when we get back to camp," she said. Percy smiled at her.

"I wouldn't have it any other way." Clarisse smiled back at him before picking Ethan up and throwing him over her shoulder like a sack of potatoes. Thalia resorted to dragging Annabeth by her hair. Percy picked Luke up and carried him back. They returned to the hunters who had managed to feed Artemis some godly food. Percy noticed her wounds had healed. Slowly the goddess gained consciousness. She looked at the heroes then at Atlas.

"You saved me," she whispered. Zoe and Phoebe smirked.

"No, we didn't do anything. _He_ saved you," they said pointing at Percy. Artemis looked at Percy who was covered in blood and ichor. She smiled warmly at him. Phoebe helped her to her feet. Artemis hugged her hunters, before looking at Percy.

"We must go to Olympus. They need to know what has happened. It is time for you to return, Gabriel. It's time for you to come back home."

 **A/N: I'm back again. I hope you all enjoyed this chapter. It was hard to write since I wanted the battle between god and Titan to be well done. Tell me what you guys think. Thanks for all the reviews. They have all been great help and very encouraging.**

 **Also, to those who are disappointed in Rachel leaving so soon do not worry. I have big plans for her in the future. Thanks for reading!**

 **I apologize. I realized looking back on this that the last line of the chapter did not get published. It doesn't change much but there you guys go.**


	13. Chapter 13

"You saved me," she whispered. Zoe and Phoebe smirked.

"No, we didn't do anything. He saved you," they said pointing at Percy. Artemis looked at Percy who was covered in blood and ichor. She smiled warmly at him. Phoebe helped her to her feet. Artemis hugged her hunters, before looking at Percy.

"We must go to Olympus. They need to know what has happened. It is time for you to return, Gabriel. It's time for you to come back home." Percy shook his head.

"Not yet," he said. "We still have to figure out what parts of the prophecy have come true and what's left." Thalia managed to pour some nectar down Luke's throat and the young demigod slowly started to wake up. His eyes widened when he saw everyone standing around.

"Wh-where's Annabeth?" Thalia pointed beside her. Luke looked and saw the child of Athena in chains and unconscious. He smiled before trying to sit up. Clarisse helped him but he held up his hand. She backed away and he sat up himself. "What happened? Last thing I remember was holding up the sky." Artemis smiled weakly at him.

"You lost consciousness, child," she said. "They used you to hold up the sky so they could torture me before putting me back under the sky." Percy's eyes flashed a frightful gold. Artemis grabbed his hand to calm him down. "I apologize for what they did to you." Luke just shrugged, not noticing what she was doing with Percy.

"It's alright. I'm free now and still alive." Percy smiled and gave him a small, light hug.

"It's good to have you back, Luke. The Hermes cabin has been a bore." Luke smirked at him.

"Aw you missed me, Golden Boy?" Percy laughed.

"No, I actually liked the silence. But we need to figure out this prophecy." Artemis and the others nodded.

"The first line, _Five shall go west to aid the goddess who's lost_ , I'm pretty sure that's self-explanatory," said Zoe. Everyone nodded. "One will pay the ultimate cost." Everyone frowned.

"Percy was that when you had to reveal yourself a little at the Smithsonian?" Percy shook his head.

"No. I don't know what that means." Thalia looked at Annabeth's sleeping frame.

"I actually think that line refers to Annabeth," she said.

"What do you mean?" asked Clarisse. Everyone looked at her.

"Well she loved Luke. Probably still does." Luke grimaced. "I'm sure seeing Luke tortured for her cause was a terrible cost to pay for her betrayal." Everyone seemed to think it made sense.

"Alright, so what is the bane of Olympus? I don't remember following anything," said Zoe. The questers thought hard but couldn't think of anything.

"I know what that one means," said Artemis. Everyone turned to her. "The monster I was tracking for Zeus was the Ophiotaurus." Zoe, Phoebe, and Percy paled. The others just looked even more confused. "The Ophiotaurus is an ancient creature born from the chaos between Gaea and Ouranos. It is part cow, part serpent. Whoever slays the monster and burns its entrails is said to have the power to destroy the gods." This time everyone paled.

"What happened to it?" asked Luke.

"I got lost and was trapped by Atlas and Annabeth before I could get to it. I don't know where it is now." Percy just hoped that if they couldn't find it then the Titans wouldn't be able to either.

"So that was what led you here to California," said Phoebe. Artemis nodded at her hunter. "Well that's the third line. The fourth line is simple again. Our quest was made up of hunters and campers. And a god of course," she remarked smirking at Percy. Clarisse glared at him, making him start to sweat. Luke just looked at him confused.

"What's she talking about, Perce?" Percy didn't look at him. He stared at Clarisse fearfully.

"I'll explain later, I promise." Luke nodded, though he was still confused. Clarisse smiled at being able to make a god nervous. Artemis took pity on Percy and gave his hand a little squeeze. He smiled at her. This time Luke did notice.

"What the Hades? Why are you holding hands with Artemis?" he asked incredulously, he tried to stand up but his legs were still too weak.

"We were very close a very long time ago," said Percy. "It's been years since we have seen each other." Luke gave him a very scrutinizing look but dropped it. " _The Titan's curse must one withstand_. Must be having to hold up the sky. Both you and Artemis had to face that curse," he said to Luke. Everyone nodded.

"But what about the last line? Who are the 'lost souls?'" asked Thalia. Everyone just looked at each other confused.

"I don't know," said Artemis. "The parent could be anybody. Atlas is Zoe's father, and Kronos is the father of the Olympians." Percy nodded and let go of Artemis' hand to help Luke stand up.

"Well now we have no choice. We must go to Olympus. These two traitors must pay for their treachery," he said glaring at the sleeping demigods. Artemis snapped her fingers and a beautiful chariot pulled by reindeer appeared.

"We can take my chariot." They all loaded up on the chariot, Thalia and Clarisse dragging Annabeth and Ethan onto it, and soon they were off in the air. The moon shown down on them, much brighter than it had been the last week or so. Percy and Artemis were talking quietly at the front while Zoe and Phoebe sat snickering behind them, occasionally looking at them and making little jokes. Thalia, Clarisse, and Luke sat in the back talking to each other about what all had happened. Thalia was very interested in finding out what had happened a couple weeks ago when Luke, Annabeth, and Grover had gone missing. They were really upset when Luke didn't know what had happened to their friendly satyr.

"What happened to the demigod you were supposed to pick up?" asked Thalia. Luke sighed.

"We reached the school where they were supposed to be, but we were attacked by a manticore. It was actually two kids. A brother and a sister. We grabbed them and told them to come with us. Seeing a creepy monster chasing us was enough motivation for them to trust us. We ran into a park, but Annabeth turned on us. She knocked me out and the next thing I know I'm in a prison being tortured by Ethan Nakamura." Thalia patted his shoulder sadly. "I don't know where Grover or the other two are."

"Annabeth will know. We will get it out of her. Maybe they are the lost souls we need to save." Luke's eyes widened but he closed them with determination.

"I won't fail them this time." Thalia smiled at him. Luke returned the smile before looking back at the front of the chariot where Percy and a twelve year old looking Artemis were talking to each other.

"So what's going on with Percy? Why did you guys say he is a god?" Thalia nodded. Clarisse just glared at Percy.

"He is. His real name is Gabriel. He is the oldest of the Olympians but thousands of years ago, Olympus grew too powerful so he stepped down. He gave Zeus his position as King and then just disappeared. I don't know exactly what he did but he pretty much put all of his godly essence into a demigod body. Now he is fully god but not limited to the ancient laws." Luke frowned.

"So he was a god this whole time, just lying to us?" Clarisse looked at Thalia.

"No. He didn't have any of his memories from his godly life when he became a demigod. He slowly gained more memories which made his eyes turn more gold." Clarisse and Luke's eyes widened.

"That makes much more sense," said Clarisse. "I wondered why his eyes changed so much on our quest last year." Luke nodded thinking the same thing.

"It was actually when Artemis and the hunters showed up that he got all of his memories. Now his eyes are completely gold, and he has all of his powers, I think. He might not have all of his memories back but he has enough to remember who he is and actually be his old self." Clarisse and Luke nodded. Zoe and Phoebe leaned over to them.

"She's right," said Zoe. "He still doesn't remember everything but he's not just Percy anymore. He's Gabriel again." Luke glared at them.

"Why do you even care? Aren't you angry he was holding hands with Artemis?" Phoebe glared at him.

"Watch who you're talking about, _boy_ ," she hissed. Clarisse and Thalia rolled their eyes. The hunters were back to their normal selves.

"Gabriel helped Artemis start the hunt. He is as much a part of the hunt as Artemis is. It used to simply be called the Hunt, until Gabriel disappeared. He and Artemis are both our patrons. In the past we would receive both of their blessings. The more recent hunters only have Artemis' blessing," said Zoe to Thalia and Clarisse. She refused to look at the male in front of her.

"What does his blessing do?" asked Thalia interested. Clarisse nodded.

"Enhanced agility and strength. It balances you out in power and in mind. He doesn't give you more because if a demigod or hunter were to have any more of his power they would die from it all. Especially when hunters have Artemis and Gabriel's blessings." The demigods nodded. They were incredibly impressed with what they had heard. They all looked back at where the gods were talking. It was hard for them to see little Percy as anything other than a demigod that had kept mostly to himself in camp. Luke shook his head. So much had changed and it had only been a couple of weeks, maybe a month, since he had gone missing.

"We are here guys," said Percy a couple of hours later. Annabeth and Ethan had woken up but were gagged before they could say anything. Thalia, Luke, and Clarisse looked around in awe. Olympus was a massive mountain. The walls and streets were shining brilliantly. Trees and gardens lined every courtyard. Nymphs, satyrs, and minor gods ran around keeping up with their duties. The main throne room stood at the very end of the main street down Olympus. Artemis had pulled the chariot up in front of the Throne Room. They all got out, and Thalia and Clarisse forced the traitorous demigods with their spears towards the Olympian council.

They walked into the Throne Room. Everyone but Artemis stood in awe. Even Annabeth and Ethan couldn't help but see how spectacular Olympus was. Annabeth was practically giddy when she looked at all the architecture. Percy felt an incredible sense of nostalgia as he looked around him. He hadn't been on Olympus in thousands of years. He saw Hestia sitting in the corner of the Throne Room poking at a fire with a stick. She looked up and smiled at him. He returned the smile, but frowned. Changes needed to be made. The first being that Hestia and Hades needed to return to Olympus.

Zeus and the other Olympians were standing around talking when they noticed Artemis leading the demigods into the Throne Room. Athena glared at her daughter, who stared defiantly right back at her.

"Artemis," said Zeus. "You have returned." Artemis grew to her godly height and took her place on her throne. Apollo gave her a look full of relief. She rolled her eyes but gave him the tiniest hint of a smile. The demigods bowed before the council, Thalia and Clarisse forcing Annabeth and Ethan to bow. Percy, however, refused to bow. He looked around the room. The gods had not changed much since he had last seen them. The Olympians looked at him confused. They seemed to recognize him but couldn't quite figure out who he was. Zeus glared at him.

"Who are you, demigod? You dare deny us the respect we deserve?" Percy looked at him and smiled. Zeus's eyes widened when he saw Percy's golden eyes.

"Hello, brother." The other Olympians stood up out of their thrones, except for Artemis who sat smirking. Hestia just smiled from the hearth. "It's been a very long time, hasn't it." The other Olympians, except for Dionysus, shrunk down to normal size and walked up to Percy. Zeus sat in his throne not knowing what to do.

"Gabriel?" asked Poseidon. Percy turned to him and smiled.

"It's me, brother. I have missed you all so very much." The Olympians grabbed Percy and each gave him a tight hug. Hestia flashed away from the hearth. She needed to bring someone to see this.

"Where have you been?" asked Hera. Percy frowned.

"I've been many places. I traveled around the world doing what I could to help keep the peace. But I saw the fate of Olympus, and I know Apollo has seen a little as well. War is coming. In fact, it is already here. I needed to find a way to be free from the ancient laws. I won't tell you how I discovered this power, but I managed to put my essence into a mortal body. I am now fully god and fully demigod." Athena just sat there dumbfounded as did the other Olympians. Percy just shook his head. "I can explain things later. Right now we have business to attend to." They nodded and returned to their thrones. Percy looked at Zeus who still had not so much as twitched.

"How is this possible?" asked Zeus. "We thought you had faded!" Percy frowned.

"I was always nearby. I just couldn't reveal myself. But now the time has come for me to return. Family," he said. "The Titans are returning." The gods paled but nodded. They had expected this. The other demigods stood back up, and together they told the Olympians about their quest. They told them about each line of the prophecy and how it had been fulfilled. They were horrified that Artemis had not found the Ophiotaurus. Before they could continue, Annabeth laughed.

"What's so funny?" ordered Zeus. Thalia jabbed her with her spear and removed the gag. Annabeth jumped away in shock. She glared at Zeus.

"The Titans already got hold of the Ophiotaurus. It has already been slain and burnt." The gods paled tremendously. Even Percy's golden eyes dimmed to a pale yellow.

"You lie," said Zeus, though he was shaking.

"It's the truth," replied Annabeth haughtily with a smile. Ethan glared at her and tried to speak but couldn't with the gag in place.

"Then who burnt it?" Annabeth just smiled and kept her mouth shut. Thalia tried to force it out of her but Annabeth wouldn't budge. Percy grew tiresome of her antics and grabbed her face. He stared deep into her eyes. He saw everything. Grover and the two demigod children were locked away on a ship. The children belonged to Hades who had hidden them away so that Zeus would not kill them. Her master was planning on forcing one of them to slay the Ophiotaurus. However, he saw that Annabeth was lying. He pulled away, leaving her pale and shaking.

"She lies. The Ophiotaurus has not been sacrificed yet. However, their master plans on using the children that Luke and Grover were tasked with retrieving to burn the monster." Athena stared angrily at her daughter. Ethan did as well, though he was furious that Annabeth had given away their master's secrets.

"Who is their master?" asked Zeus. "Is it Kronos?" Percy shook his head.

"She doesn't know. I'm guessing that whoever it is has the power to keep them hidden away and keep their identity a closely guarded secret. I doubt even Atlas knows." Zeus nodded, but frowned.

"Then who are these children? What makes them so valuable?" Percy stared at him coldly.

"They are the children of Hades." Thunder flashed in the background and Zeus grew furious. Before he could respond, however, Hestia returned to the Throne Room.

"Who called my name?" Percy and the others turned around and saw Hestia standing beside a tall man with pale skin.

"Hades!" cried out Percy. He rushed to the god's side and gave him a strong hug. Hades blanched.

"Gabriel?" he asked incredulously. Percy pulled away and nodded. Hades pulled him back and gave him another hug. "I thought I would never see you again! I thought you had faded, I couldn't feel your presence anywhere on earth!" Percy nodded.

"There were many years that I wasn't. But that's a story for another day. Your children are in danger, Hades. The leader of the Titans is planning on using them to raze Olympus to the ground." Hades tried to respond but was cut off by a roar of thunder.

"Hades!" yelled Zeus. "You dared to have children?" Hades looked at his younger brother murderously.

"They were born seventy years ago! I hid them away where they would not age to protect them from you! And how dare you threaten me for having children. Your own daughter stands in this very room!" Thalia didn't know what to do. Hades looked like he was going to throw her into Tartarus right there. Percy put a calming hand on Hades' shoulder.

"Calm yourself, brother. I know that Zeus has wronged you many times in the past. His actions must be corrected." Zeus glared at Percy.

"You have no right. I am the King of the Gods now. I say what will or will not happen." Percy's eyes glowed gold with rage. Thalia and the others backed away quickly. Annabeth and Ethan moved to the side as quickly as they could in their chains. Zeus flinched at Percy's look of rage.

"I placed you in charge so that you would lead Olympus by doing what is right. I tried many times even before I left to correct you and put you on the right path. I thought that by doing this the fate of Olympus would be safe and secure. I was wrong. Your egotistical pride and jealousy has corrupted this council." All the Olympians except for Dionysus and Zeus smirked. "I may be much smaller than you. I may have the body of a twelve year old, but I still am Gabriel. I have more power than anyone in this room. I thought you would see my example and not use your powers to satisfy your own greed!" Zeus looked down, chastised. "Now you listen to me, Zeus. The Titans have returned and Olympus will fall unless it has a strong worthy leader. Will you be that leader? Or do I need to replace you with someone more qualified?" Zeus shook his head.

"I will be the leader Olympus needs me to be." Percy nodded.

"Good. You can show that to be true by returning Hestia and Hades to their rightful spots as Olympians." Zeus glared at him. Percy stared at him right back.

"Fine," Zeus managed. "I will allow them to return." Percy just stared at him. A couple of seconds later two more thrones emerged. Hades and Hestia smiled at their older brother and sat in their own thrones. Everyone could feel the power of Olympus grow exponentially. Annabeth and Ethan began shaking with fear.

"Now we have two more things to go over. First, we must rescue the children of Hades before the Titans turn them against us. Second, these two must be punished for their crimes against Olympus." The Olympians nodded.

"Who shall go find the children?" asked Zeus.

"We will go," said Zoe speaking for the first time. Artemis looked at her hunter with pride. "This was our quest and we will finish it to the letter." The Olympians nodded once more.

"Very well," said Zeus. "Go and find the demigods and bring them back to camp. Now for the punishment." Thalia and Clarisse dragged Annabeth and Ethan before the gods. "We will decide what punishment will be best. Heroes, you may leave now. Go and complete your quest. Leave these traitors to us." Percy and the others nodded. The hunters and demigods bowed and walked out of the Throne Room. Percy stayed for a minute longer.

"I will return when the prophecy is over. We still have much to catch up on," he said. The Olympians smiled and nodded. Artemis got off her throne and walked with him out of the Throne Room. "We will need a lift back to San Francisco," he told Artemis. She gave him a confused look. "I saw in Annabeth's mind that the ship that the demigods and Grover are being kept on is in the San Francisco Bay."

"I will take you all there. Will Luke be going with you?" Percy shook his head.

"He was not a part of this quest. He will return to camp where he will get some much needed rest." Artemis nodded. They returned to the others and Percy told them the plan. Luke was a bit miffed at not being able to go along but the aches in his back from his month of torture kept him from arguing. The got back on Artemis's chariot. She stopped outside camp to let Luke off. He waved goodbye and they took off once more towards California. The chariot went much faster this time and in only three hours they were back where they had been before. They got off the chariot and waved goodbye to Artemis. She pulled Percy into a hug and threatened to kill him if he didn't come back to the hunt with Zoe and Phoebe. He laughed and agreed to return. They watched Artemis leave and then turned back to the coast. About two miles off shore, they saw a small yacht in the water.

"That's it," said Percy. "Now remember. We aren't going in there guns blazing. We get in, we rescue the others, and we get out. If we can manage to find them and get them out without alerting any of the monsters on board then it will be even better." They all nodded. They found a small dock and paid the owner to use his row boat. Soon they were gliding across the moonlit ocean. They pulled up beside the yacht. The words _Princess Andromeda_ were painted on the side. Percy helped hoist Zoe and Phoebe up over the side before he climbed up himself. Thalia and Clarisse would remain on the row boat to make sure they would still have a way to leave if things went sour.

"They are being kept below," whispered Percy. Zoe and Phoebe nodded. They crept along the yacht careful not to make any noise. They could hear monsters screaming and shrieking below them. They reached the stairs going down. Percy pulled out Anaklusmos and led them down. The first room they passed was a small kitchen where a couple of enemy demigods sat around a table eating. Thankfully, because of the monsters aboard, the yacht was kept in near total darkness. They kept to the shadows and went one floor lower. This one was even darker and they could see the outline of several monsters fighting. They didn't stop for fear that they would catch on to their scent. They made it down to the lowest level and found a celestial bronze door right at the foot of the steps. Two demigods were standing guard, though in the darkness they couldn't see the questers creeping down the stairs. Zoe and Phoebe pulled out hunting knives and made quick work of the guards. The stepped over the bodies and opened the door to the prison. Percy rummaged around in his backpack and found a flashlight. He clicked it on and searched the room. Grover and the two demigods were huddled in the corner shaking. Percy couldn't see any signs of harm which was a good sign.

"Please! Don't hurt us," cried out the girl. Percy was impressed at her resilience.

"We aren't here to hurt you. We've come to get you out." Grover looked up.

"Percy?" He couldn't see who was there with the light flashing in his eyes.

"Yes, it's me and two of the hunters. Now come on we need to get out of here." Zoe and Phoebe came into sight and helped the demigods stand up. Grover gave Percy a one arm hug.

"I'm so glad to see you, Perce." Percy smiled.

"You too. Now when we go back out of this door follow me. Move quickly and as quietly as you can." They all nodded and followed Percy out of the room. They passed the first floor with the monsters with no problem. On the second floor, however, the two demigods and Grover's stomachs growled loudly at the sight of the enemy demigods eating. The demigods stood up from the table drawing their weapons. Percy lunged forward. He kicked one in the legs knocking him to the ground. He ducked underneath one's sword and stabbed upwards with Anaklusmos. The third demigod swung his sword, but Percy grabbed his wrist stopping the demigod's swing. He thrust Anaklusmos straight into the demigod's stomach. Blood came gushing out of the wound as well as the kid's mouth. When he fell Anaklusmos was ripped out of his stomach. The first demigod got up and tried to stab Percy in the back but collapsed to the ground. Percy whirled around but saw the demigod lying on the ground, blood gushing out of his back. He looked up and saw Phoebe holding up a dagger. She smirked at him and wiped her blade off with a napkin on the table. Percy wiped Anaklusmos off with his shirt and they continued up. They reached the side of the boat and Thalia and Clarisse helped the demigods down. Zoe and Phoebe climbed down next. Percy swung a leg over the side when he heard shrieks from down below.

"Shit!" He yelled. He dropped quickly onto the rowboat almost causing it to tip over. "They found the bodies. Get us out of here." Thalia and Clarisse didn't need more and began rowing them back to shore. The shrieking got louder back on the yacht and Percy let out a breath. The two demigod children were shaking. He sat down in front of them.

"What are your names?" The girl pulled her brother closer. They both had pale skin, brown hair, and brown eyes. _Just like their father_ , thought Percy.

"Bianca di Angelo. This is my brother Nico." Percy gave them a reassuring smile.

"My name is Percy Jackson. I'm sure Grover here has told you guys who you guys really are?" Bianca nodded.

"You mean what we are?" Percy just laughed. Hearing the laugh the two children slowly began to loosen up. They smiled hesitantly at Percy.

"Yeah that's what I mean."

"Grover told us that we are demigods," said Nico. Percy nodded.

"It's true. We are on a quest to save you guys and bring you back. Your father is waiting for you." Nico's eyes widened.

"You know our father?" he asked eagerly. Bianca's eyes widened as well.

"Very well actually," said Percy.

"Who is he?" they both practically shouted. The others on the boat laughed. Percy smiled at them.

"Your father is Hades. The Olympian God of the Underworld." The looks on their faces were priceless. Percy snapped in their faces to get their attention.

"Our father is Hades?" asked Nico. He was practically bouncing. "He's awesome! He's one of the most powerful characters in Mythomagic!" Percy cocked his head.

"It's a game that he plays," explained Bianca. Percy nodded and smiled.

"Why don't you explain it to me, Nico? We've got a long ways to go." Nico smiled brilliantly, glad that finally someone wanted to hear about his game. Before he could start explaining, Bianca cut him off.

"Where exactly are we going?" she asked.

"We're going to New York."

"What's in New York?" asked Nico.

"Olympus."

 **A/N: Here's chapter 13. I hope you all enjoyed it. Let me know what you guys think. Keep reviewing! The reviews have been amazing so far. Thanks to everyone who has reviewed, favorited, and followed this story!**


	14. Chapter 14

They reached the shore just as the sun began to rise. Nico and Percy stayed in the back talking about Mythomagic and the truth behind the gods and monsters. Bianca walked with the girls, though she listened in on Percy and Nico's conversation occasionally. She didn't want to show it but she felt just as giddy as Nico was acting. Zoe and Phoebe led the group towards San Francisco. After a couple hours of walking, they made it just outside of the city. They stopped for a break a little ways off the road where no one would spot them.

"How are we going to get to New York? We can't just walk the entire way." asked Bianca. Zoe and Phoebe smirked before Zoe closed her eyes for a couple seconds. All of a sudden, a silver chariot appeared right in front of them. Nico and Bianca stared in awe. Percy smirked and climbed into the chariot followed by the others, though Grover had to be carried up as he was too busy swooning. Artemis stood at the helm in her twelve year old form and gave Grover a disgusted look. She noticed the two demigods in the back and gave Bianca a smile.

"Hello, child. My name is Artemis," she said. Bianca gave her a thoughtful look. Nico's eyes widened.

"You're Artemis! The goddess of the hunt and the moon!" Bianca slapped her brother upside the head making him glare at her as Artemis gave her a smile. She ignored Nico and returned to grab the reigns. Soon they were up in the air traveling at an incredible speed. Nico was incredibly put out which Thalia noticed. She gave her cousin a side hug.

"It's alright, Nico. She hates all males. Well except for Percy, but he's special. It's nothing personal towards you." Nico smiled at her. Zoe and Phoebe were talking with Artemis at the front while Percy was catching up with Grover. Thalia and Clarisse had the responsibility of filling Nico and Bianca in on whatever Percy had left out. They explained camp to them. Bianca was fascinated at the thought of the cabins and pegasi, but Nico couldn't wait to start fighting with a sword.

"Well actually you have to be ten years old to fight with a sword," said Clarisse. "How old are you?" Nico pouted.

"I'm nine. What can I do then?"

"You can use a dagger," smirked Thalia. Bianca looked nervous.

"Is that such a good idea? I mean why should we be trusted with swords and daggers? Isn't that dangerous?"

"We're demigods. We don't get the pleasure of living simple lives," said Percy joining in. "Monsters, like the manticore that captured you, can smell our blood. They look for us and will try to kill us or eat us. Learning to fight is the only way to defend ourselves." The di Angelo kids shivered at the thought of the manticore. Grover just bleated nervously. "But most importantly," said Percy gravely. "We are going to war. And the enemy won't stop just because you are nine or twelve. We all need to learn to fight. The fate of the world depends on us." After that the rest of the trip was rather gloomy. Nico and Bianca were extremely nervous now at the thought of having to fight in a war. The others just sat mulling over their own thoughts.

Soon Artemis' chariot arrived at Camp Half-Blood. It was just about noon and they could see the campers running around doing all sorts of activities. Nico and Bianca were completely enthralled. Chiron galloped out to meet them. He bowed before Artemis.

"Lady Artemis, questers, it's been a long time. I'm so glad to see that none of you are missing." They all smiled, though Bianca and Nico couldn't help but stare at the centaur. Chiron noticed and smiled at them. "Well hello. Who do we have here?" Bianca stepped up holding her hand out for him to shake. Chiron took it still smiling.

"I'm Bianca di Angelo, this is my brother Nico. We are children of Hades." Chiron's smile faltered for a split second before he nodded.

"We are so glad to have you. I'm sure Thalia and Clarisse can show you were to go." Thalia and Clarisse nodded and took the kids to show them around camp. Grover left to go find something to eat. "Now is there any new news?" asked Chiron to the hunters, Artemis, and Percy.

"The Titans have something big planned," said Percy. "Annabeth and Ethan Nakamura were captured and are now being punished on Olympus." Chiron frowned sadly at the thought of Annabeth. "They revealed that their master had a plan for Bianca and Nico but we rescued them before anything could happen." Chiron nodded.

"Is that all?" Artemis shook her head. Everyone looked at her confused.

"Where are my hunters?" Chiron paled.

"They are in the arena. They haven't let anyone in since you all left." Zoe and Phoebe laughed. Artemis nodded and left to get her hunters. A couple of minutes later she returned with a group of twelve girls. They ran up to Zoe and Phoebe and gave them hugs. When they saw Percy they glared at him. Percy just smirked at them.

"What are you smiling at, _boy_ ," one hissed out. Percy put up a hand to his chest and gasped out, pretending to be hurt.

"Atalanta! I thought you would recognize me!" The hunter looked absolutely confused while Phoebe and Zoe just stifled their laughter. Artemis shook her head. The hunter stepped forward to give Percy a piece of her mind when she looked at his eyes. She stumbled backwards.

"Ga-Gabriel?" she asked tentatively. Percy nodded with a smile. Atalanta's eyes widened before she launched herself at him pulling him into a hug. Artemis, Zoe, and Phoebe smiled while the other hunters roared in anger.

"Let her go!"

"How could you break your vows?"

"Milady! She's hugging a male!" Artemis laughed and looked at Chiron who was also struggling to contain his laughter.

"I feel like Percy will need to explain some things. He will be coming with us." Chiron nodded at the goddess. Percy let go of Atalanta and paled.

"No, no I don't think that is such a good idea, Arty." The hunters just looked confused. They had no idea why this boy was still human and not a jackalope. Zoe and Phoebe gave Percy a predatory smirk.

"Come on, Percy. You're not afraid of us are you?" Percy paled even more. Atalanta laughed at his face. Artemis took pity on him and looked at her hunters, getting their attention.

"I will explain everything soon. But for now we are going upstate to make camp." The hunters glared at Percy but listened to Artemis. Percy looked at camp longingly.

"Can't I stay here? I want to rest!" Artemis just looked at him pointedly.

"You're coming with us. You have centuries to make up for." Percy sighed and followed the hunters. He walked up to Chiron who was just smirking.

"Yeah, yeah laugh it up. Just tell the others that I love them if I don't return." Chiron laughed and smacked Percy on the back. Percy frowned, took a deep breath, and left after the hunters.

[LINEBREAK]

Chiron was impressed. Nico and Bianca had really taken part in all the activities. Unfortunately, since there wasn't a cabin for Hades, they were stuck in the Hermes cabin. They didn't seem to mind, however. Thalia and Clarisse showed them the entire camp. When they had finished with their tour they had met Chiron in the Big House where they would watch a short introductory film. The children of Hades had been totally engrossed. At the end Nico wanted to go learn how to fight and Bianca wanted to find the pegasi, but Chiron told them they had to stop by the infirmary first. They complained but Chiron wouldn't budge. They had to make sure the children had not suffered any lasting harm by the Titans.

Chiron grabbed his sword and strapped it to his waist and went on his daily run around the camp's borders to make sure everything was in order. He came galloping up to Thalia's tree when he saw a figure lying face down on the ground. He panicked when he recognized the dark, messy hair.

"Percy!" He hurried as fast as he could to the demigod. When he got closer, Percy lifted his head exhausted.

"What?" he asked. Chiron frowned.

"What happened?" Percy groaned and sat up.

"The hunters made sure I paid for leaving them years ago." He rubbed his shoulder. Chiron laughed and helped Percy stand. Percy just glared. "It's not funny. I hurt everywhere." Chiron laughed even harder.

"Come on let's see if we can't get you some nectar." Percy smiled gratefully. A couple minutes later, he was walking out of the infirmary feeling good as new. His stomach growled and he realized he hadn't eaten since yesterday and even then it had only been a quick snack before they had attacked Mt. Othrys. He walked into the dining area and found Nico and Bianca sitting at the Hermes table. Thalia was sitting with them talking. When Percy walked up they all looked up and flinched.

"Gods, Golden boy! You look like you've been molested." It was true. His hair was in all directions and his clothes were torn. Nico and Bianca looked at him in horror. Percy just glared at Thalia and walked to get his food. He offered some food to himself and Artemis, who he could have sworn he heard chuckling when he did so. He sat back down by Thalia.

"I went with the hunters. They decided to show me how much they missed me." He grimaced and rubbed his shoulder again. "Gods Atalanta really can hit hard." Thalia smirked, but Bianca and Nico were confused.

"Why do the hunters like you so much?" Percy just sighed.

"Long story short, I used to help out with the hunt before I had to leave for a long time. They aren't too happy with me for not going back or saying hi in so long." Nico nodded and kept eating but Bianca just looked at him with a calculating look. Percy flinched. _If she didn't have black hair and I didn't know any better I would think she was a child of Athena,_ he thought.

"What?" he asked her. She didn't move.

"I thought the hunt was all girls. How did you get to help them?" Percy just stared at her expressionless.

"You're nosey, you know that right?" Bianca flashed him a smile. Thalia laughed.

"I like you, cuz." Bianca smiled but didn't look at Thalia, keeping her eyes trained on Percy. Percy glared at her.

"You won't let this go, will you?" Bianca shook her head, still smiling. Percy huffed. "Fine, I'll tell you. Nico put that spoon down I don't want you spitting on me." Nico put his spoon down but stuck his tongue out at him. "I guess I can tell you everything now that it's not exactly a secret anymore. You see I'm not a demigod like you." Bianca looked confused.

"What are you? A monster?" Percy chuckled.

"No. My real name is Gabriel. I was the oldest child of Kronos. Zeus, Poseidon, Hades, Hera, Hestia, and Demeter are my full brothers and sisters." Bianca and Nico's eyes widened. Bianca tried to get out of her seat to bow but Percy threw a roll from his plate at her. "Sit down. I hate it when people bow to me." Bianca took her seat again, blushing. Nico snickered at his sister. She swatted him on the head, shushing him.

"So you're really a god?" asked Bianca. Nico looked at Percy in awe. Percy shrugged.

"Yes and no. It's complicated. I'm the god of balance. I left Olympus because the gods had become too powerful which would have led to us becoming just like the Titans. I went off the grid, so to speak, for thousands of years. Then I saw that war was coming and I needed to be a part of it. I put all of my godly essence into a mortal body. So now I am fully god and fully mortal." This time Bianca looked at him in awe.

"So you're the oldest of the gods?" Percy just smiled and nodded.

"Yeah, but I'm also just a demigod now. So don't look up to me like a god or anything. Just think of me as an exceptionally powerful and badass demigod." Nico laughed and Thalia rolled her eyes. Bianca just smiled.

"What should we call you?"

"Percy. I'm Percy now," he said. They all enjoyed the rest of their lunch. They talked for hours before Percy decided to take them down to the arena to get them some armor and a weapon. Thalia, not having anything else to do, joined them. When they got to the arena, Percy left to get some armor and weapons. He walked into the armory. He found some light leather armor for both Bianca and Nico. He looked around hoping to spot anything that would work. He found a nice sword that seemed to be the perfect length for Bianca. It even had its own sheathe. Finding something for Nico proved to be much more difficult. Nico couldn't wield a sword for another year, but there weren't really any good daggers anywhere. He closed his eyes and reached out with his mind. It took him a couple of minutes since he hadn't done it in a long, long time but he finally found what he was looking for.

 _Hades,_ he said into Hades' mind.

 _Gabriel?_

 _Yes. I have a favor to ask of you._

Percy walked back out of the armory a couple of minutes later with a wide grin. The others were standing there impatiently. Nico was going on and on about everything and Bianca looked like she was going to take Thalia's spear and impale her brother. Thalia was just standing to the side trying to ignore the annoying nine year old. Percy walked up behind Nico and flicked his ear. The son of Hades yelped and jumped away from him. Everyone just laughed.

"I've got something for the two of you." Bianca and Nico looked at him eagerly. "First, for you, Bianca." Percy pulled out from behind his back a beautiful short sword. It was in a black sheathe covered in jewels. "You're father gave me this for you. It's made of Stygian iron. Only a child of Hades can wield it." Bianca took the sword with shaking hands. She took a step back and unsheathed the sword. It was beautiful, shining brilliantly in the sunlight. Nico jumped up and down and turned to Percy.

"What about me?" Percy chuckled and pulled out a similar looking sheathe though it was much smaller.

"This is a Stygian iron dagger. Your father gave it to me to give to you as well. He also gave me a Stygian iron sword for you, but I won't let you have it till you turn ten." Nico pouted but took the dagger eagerly. Thalia pulled out her spear and stuck it in the ground sending a little shock into the others. Percy glared at her and the di Angelos jumped.

"Alright, playtime is over. Now we train."

They trained for hours. Nico and Bianca both proved to be very skilled despite it being their first time. Soon it was time for dinner. Percy took them to the Hermes cabin to stow their weapons away since they couldn't take them to the dining area. They met Thalia and went to go eat. The others in the Hermes cabin were initially wary of Nico and Bianca but when Percy glared at them they got over it. The other cabins weren't happy having the two there but didn't dare confront Percy. None knew everything that had happened, but they knew the gist. Rumors were circulating that Percy was really a god. No one really believed that though. They couldn't believe that the twelve year old boy in the Hermes cabin was really a god.

After dinner they all went back to their cabins for the night. The rest of the week went by quickly. Percy couldn't believe that it was almost Christmas time. So much had happened so quickly that he had completely lost track of time. He couldn't wait to see what camp was like in the winter. It turned out to be pretty much the same. The magical border of the camp kept the snow away. On Christmas Eve Percy left for the city to spend Christmas with his mom. He told her all about his quests and about Nico and Bianca. They were quickly becoming some of his best friends. On Christmas morning he got an Iris message from Luke. He had finally recovered from all of his injuries and was out of the infirmary. Percy felt bad, he had completely forgot to go visit him. Percy spent the night with his mom and her new boyfriend Paul Blofis.

Percy was so glad that his mother had finally found someone that loved her. He loved Paul too. He was funny and knew a lot of ancient Greek mythology. Sally, it seemed, had told him the truth; that the gods were real and that she was a clear sighted mortal. Paul had just laughed until Percy asked him to look at him. The second their eyes met Percy knew that Paul was absolutely perfect for his mom. Paul had also seen that Percy was much more than he seemed. He sat down on the couch and listened as Percy explained everything to him. He even told Paul the truth of who he really was.

The end of his visit came much too soon. He returned to camp on New Year's. He was glad to see all of his friends. Luke had taken to helping Nico train while Thalia and Clarisse worked with Bianca. Percy joined Luke and after a couple of weeks they decided to have Nico and Bianca spar with each other. Bianca managed to beat her brother, just barely. Percy, Luke, and Nico pouted while the girls gloated.

"Not even a god can help you, Nico." Nico stuck his tongue out at his sister. Everyone laughed. Percy put an arm around Nico's shoulder.

"It's alright, Death breath," he said. Nico glared at him for the nickname. "We all know that you just let her win." Bianca growled and tackled Percy to the ground. Percy pushed her off laughing. Everything was going well. The days went by and still Percy didn't feel anything was going on with the Titans.

[LINEBREAK]

"Bend your knees a little. Don't grip your sword so tight. Widen your stance." Percy walked around Nico and Bianca correcting their form. They had grown so much since Percy and the others had saved them from the _Princess Andromeda_.

"Why do we even have to do this?" complained Nico. Percy walked up in front of him.

"We don't have to. Show me what you got. Attack me." Nico smirked and charged Percy. He swung his sword, but Percy stepped to the side and shoved him hard just below the arm. Nico was knocked off balance and fell to the ground. He groaned and stood back up. "We don't have to go over this, but if we don't you'll end up just like that or even dead." Nico just nodded grimly and got back into position beside his sister. Bianca just smirked at her brother.

"Don't smile, Bianca," said Percy. "Your form is sloppy. You expose your midsection too much." Bianca's smile faded and she turned her attention on trying to follow Percy's corrections. Suddenly the shadows around them started moving. Bianca and Nico's eyes widened in fear. Percy just smirked and watched. Hades stepped out of the shadows and smiled at his kids.

"Dad?" asked Nico, still a little nervous. Hades nodded. Nico dropped his dagger and launched himself into Hades' arms. Hades just stood there uncomfortably. He wasn't used to affection. Percy just chuckled.

"It's alright to hug your kids, brother." Hades glared at Percy but hugged his son tentatively. Bianca smiled and joined her brother in hugging her father.

"What are you doing here, Hades?" asked Percy. Hades pulled away from his children.

"Nico and Bianca need to learn how to use their powers. They won't be able to learn here in this futile camp." Percy nodded.

"Where are we going to learn then?" Hades smirked at Bianca.

"You're coming with me to my home." Nico didn't really seem to be able to think straight.

"Where's that?" Hades just looked at him with a pointed look.

"The Underworld." Bianca and Nico seemed crossed between nervousness about going to the Underworld and excitement for being with their dad. Percy waved goodbye as Hades shadow traveled them away. Percy started putting their practice dummies away when he heard a little cough from behind him. He turned around and smiled.

"Rachel! How's it going? Are you in New York?" Rachel was standing there in a rainbow looking at Percy's surroundings in awe.

"Yeah, we just got back yesterday. Where are you?" Percy smiled.

"I'm at Camp Half-Blood. It's the only safe place for demigods to live." Rachel frowned.

"Where is that?"

"Long Island." Rachel looked confused.

"How haven't anybody noticed you guys there? I'm pretty sure a bunch of teenagers swinging swords will draw tons of cops." Percy shook his head.

"The mist that we told you about helps guard us. Mortals can't see our camp. Plus we use a strawberry patch for cover. If anybody drives by they will just see a strawberry farm." Rachel nodded and smiled. "So what's up?" Rachel tugged on the hem of her shirt.

"Well you said that if I had any more questions I should call you this way. I've been noticing a lot of strange things and I just don't know who to talk to. You were the first person that came to mind." Percy nodded.

"I will speak to Chiron, one of the leaders here at camp, about letting you come. I'll call you back letting you know if you can. If not then I'll just meet you sometime and we can sit down and answer any questions you may have." Rachel smiled and thanked him. Percy broke the connection and finished putting the practice dummies away. Just as he finished Chiron came into the arena.

"Is everything alright, Chiron?" The centaur smiled and nodded.

"Yes, but you have a visitor." Percy frowned and followed Chiron to the Big House. He smiled when he saw an eight year old girl sitting on the porch waiting for him.

"Hestia! What's going on? Is everything alright?" Hestia gave him a brilliant smile and stood up.

"Everything is fine, Gabriel. It's time for you to come back up to Olympus. You have a promise to keep." Percy smiled warily but nodded. He told Chiron that he would be leaving before Hestia flashed him up to Olympus. He walked with he into the Throne Room where the others were waiting. They turned and Percy saw the exact same looks the hunters had given him a month ago. He paled and tried to run out of the room but Hestia blocked the door. Percy backed away fearfully into the corner.

Outside, the minor gods and nymphs were tending to their own business when they heard loud shrieks coming from inside the Throne Room. They all flinched when they heard an exceptionally loud scream. They looked at each other and shrugged. They didn't want any part in whatever kind of torture was going on. They had all learned over the years to stay out of the Olympians' ways when they were punishing someone.

A few hours later, Percy managed to get back to camp where he plopped down on his bed exhausted. Catching up with the others had been incredibly painful but he was glad to finally be back with his family. Soon his eyes closed and he drifted off into the realm of Morpheus.

 **A/N: I know this isn't the best chapter at all and is pretty boring but I felt like the story needed a little break from all the action. Things will pick back up next chapter. Thanks to everyone who has reviewed, followed, and favorited. Hope you all are still loving the story. Let me know what you guys think!**


	15. Chapter 15

" _A half-blood of the eldest god,_

 _Shall reach sixteen in total awe,_

 _And see the world in endless sleep,_

 _The hero's soul, blessed blade shall reap,_

 _A single choice shall end his days,_

 _Olympus to preserve or raze."_

Percy woke up drenched in sweat. Every night had been the same way. He would find himself in a dark room. The Oracle would appear before him and would explode in a green light and spout out the same words. Percy swung his legs over his mat. He rubbed eyes with his hands and took a deep breath. He looked around the room with a sigh. Over a year had gone by since he and the others had rescued Artemis, Nico, Bianca, Luke, and Grover; over a year since they had captured Annabeth and Ethan and discovered the Titan's plans. And yet nothing had happened. They had expected the Titan army to make a move. They expected the Titans' master to appear and wage war against the gods. But nothing had happened.

At first, tension was thick all over the world. The seas were abnormally calm, the skies never came to life with storms, and no demigods were issued any quests. After a couple of months and still no movement from the Titans, life slowly returned to normal. Bianca and Nico remained in the Underworld with Hades, only returning every now and then to learn sword fighting and archery from the campers. Chiron had permitted Rachel to visit camp one time during the summer, and seeing something in her, Percy took her to Artemis who offered her a place in the hunt. Rachel accepted, not wanting to be a part of her family anymore. The biggest change was at camp. Percy, having regained many of his memories of the world, removed Dionysus from his camp director position and put Chiron in charge. Dionysus was still forced to remain at camp for his punishment, but now he was forced to help maintain the grounds; much to his chagrin. With Chiron in charge, Camp Half-Blood became drastically different. Cabins moved in uniform precision. The camp learned and trained in ancient Greek combat techniques. It took a couple of months but soon the camp that had been fairly lazy in the past was now operating like a well-oiled machine.

Percy spent the majority of his time with the hunt, returning to the life he previously had. The Olympians had begged him to remain on Olympus, but he had refused. A seat on Olympus was not for a demigod and if he were to remain he would be subject to the ancient laws once more, hence defeating the purpose of becoming a demigod in the first place. He spent the weekends at camp, helping Chiron train the campers in swordsmanship as well as with the spear, but the weeks he spent with his old family. He was saddened to find out that only Zoe, Phoebe, and Atalanta remained of the hunters he had known in the past. He had expected the newer hunters to despise him, but he had forgotten that they still worshiped Gabriel, offering him sacrifices and performing rituals in his honor. The hardest part had been convincing the hunters that Percy was in fact Gabriel, but after a couple of long hours they finally believed and began to show him that they were not to be messed with.

Percy put on a shirt and his leather jacket and left his tent. The hunters were already up and about performing their chores. They were currently tracking a drakon through the Colorado mountains. It had razed a small town to the ground, killing everyone. Percy found Rachel sitting by the fire.

"What's up, Red?" he asked. She didn't look at him but smiled.

"Nothing much. Just still trying to figure everything out." Percy nodded and picked up a stick. He began prodding and stoking the fire.

"I understand. Becoming suddenly immersed in this world can really be hard. But you're with a great family now." Rachel smiled at him and stood up.

"I know I am. It'll just take some time before I will completely come to terms with the fact that I'm a Hunter of Artemis. I think I'll wait a little while though before I take the oath. I want to grow up a little more." Percy smiled and she walked away to finish her chores.

"You still remember how to make new hunters feel welcomed," came a voice from behind him. Percy smirked but didn't look up.

"Well you know me. I make everyone happy." He could feel Artemis rolling her eyes behind him. She sat down next to him where Rachel had just been sitting.

"Yes, but you can be an annoying bastard," she said. Percy looked at her and smiled broadly.

"Me?" he asked pointing at himself. He tried to look as innocent as possible which for him was incredibly difficult. "I can't be annoying! You all love me too much!" Artemis pinched his arm hard making him laugh and swat her hand away.

"No one knows why we do. You can be as bad as Apollo sometimes." Percy gasped.

"You really think I'm that awesome?" he asked, eyes wide. Artemis narrowed her eyes at him and rose her hand as if to slap him. Percy flinched. "Sorry, sorry. I was just joking! Don't hurt me!" Artemis smirked. She pinched his cheek.

"Poor baby." Percy glared at her but she ignored him and stood up. "Come on. We have a lot of ground to make up and you still haven't even packed up." Percy looked around and saw that his tent was the only one still standing. He groaned but got up and finished packing. Soon he was done and found the hunters waiting for him.

"Come on, Golden boy. I thought you were faster than that." Percy glared at Zoe who was giving him an obnoxious smile.

"Shut up," he replied. The hunters just snickered at him. Percy ignored them and looked at Artemis who was smiling herself. "What's the plan?"

"The drakon should only be a couple miles north of here. We will surround it and take it down as quickly as we can." Percy and the hunters nodded. They put their packs on and started making their way through the mountains. They hiked for hours in silence though Percy and Artemis stood in the front whispering to each other, much to the amusement of the others. Around noon, they made it to a little mountain stream when they heard a roar from above them. The hunters made to get their bows but Percy held up a hand, stopping them. They looked at him expectantly. He looked around for the drakon. Suddenly the drakon crashed down in the middle of the hunters. It hissed and lunged at Rachel, but she dodged out of the way at the last second. The hunters recovered from their shock and began firing arrows at the giant snake-like monster. Artemis pulled out her bow and joined the others.

The drakon roared in pain, but none of the arrows penetrated its skin. It turned towards Zoe and spat acidic venom at her. Her eyes widened and she tried to move but she was frozen with fear. Rachel reacted quickly and dove in front of Zoe taking the acid to her chest. Zoe's mind snapped back to reality and she yelled for her sisters to cover her while she pulled Rachel to a safe distance. Percy growled with anger and pulled out his two swords. He charged the drakon and jumped on its back. Its tail whipped back and forth striking Percy on the back. He stabbed Isorropia through the drakon's neck. The monster flung its head back throwing Percy off of it. He flew backwards into a tree. The Nemean jacket took the blow saving him from any serious harm. He stood back up.

"Stop!" He roared to the hunters and Artemis. They stopped firing their arrows. The drakon turned back to him. Blood poured down its maw from where Percy had stabbed it. It opened its jaws to spit acid at him. He jumped to the side and charged the monster. It snapped at him with its razor sharp fangs, but Percy rolled under the strike. He drove Isorropia straight up through the drakon's lower jaw. Blood gushed out covering Percy completely. The drakon tried to shake Percy off but couldn't move with the sword in its mouth.

"Now!" he commanded. The hunters and Artemis rained down arrows straight at the drakon's open mouth. It took several arrows but finally the monster exploded into dust. Percy got up shakily and wiped his swords off on the grass. Suddenly, a thought came to him and he turned around abruptly and ran to where Zoe was kneeling by Rachel's side. He rushed up and knelt down across from Zoe. Rachel was gasping for breath. The acid had eaten away at her chest causing her to lose a lot of blood and muscle tissue. She had tears rushing down her face. Zoe was working valiantly trying to patch her up but the blood loss was too extreme. Percy's eyes glowed with anger that such a thing could happen to his friend. The sky turned incredibly dark and the hunters could feel time begin to slow. Percy put his hands on Rachel's shoulders and closed his eyes.

His body began to glow a brilliant gold and the hunters and Artemis were forced to avert their eyes. Slowly, Rachel's wound began to heal. The poison was removed and her skin and muscles began to knit themselves back together. After several strenuous moments, her body was fully healed. Percy still had his eyes closed and he focused more power into her. Rachel's body began to glow a soft gold before it went back to normal. The sky returned to its bright, crisp blue, and time sped back up. Percy opened his eyes slowly, sweat dripping down his forehead. Zoe and the others looked at him in awe. Rachel opened her eyes and gasped in shock when she saw that her chest was fully healed. She looked at Percy and sat up, giving him a tight hug. Percy smiled at her but was too tired to say anything. Artemis came over and helped him stand, while Zoe helped Rachel.

"That was beautiful, Percy," said Artemis. Percy just smiled weakly and rested his head on her shoulder. "We should make camp here." The hunters nodded and began setting up the tents and preparing a fire. Artemis handed Percy a jug full of nectar which he took gratefully. He swallowed a few gulps and felt his strength rushing back. He thanked her and went to the stream. When he was a good ways away where the hunters wouldn't see him, he took his clothes and watch off, and jumped into the water. The cool mountain stream felt good against his tired and worn out body. Despite all the time he had spent with the hunters, they had never faced such a powerful monster. He spent a couple more minutes than was necessary basking in the water. When he was finished, he washed his clothes from the drakon's blood. He was about to get out of the water when he realized he had stupidly forgotten his backpack at the camp. He groaned. The bag had all of his extra clothes. He felt around in the pockets of his jeans and sighed in relief when he found a golden drachma in one of the pockets. He made a quick rainbow and threw the coin through it.

"Oh Iris, goddess of the Rainbow, please accept my offering. Show me Artemis," he said. Artemis glimmered to life in front of him. "Psst. Arty," he whispered. Artemis whirled around and smirked at him.

"Well what do we have here?" Percy glared at her, but blushed a bright red.

"I forgot my backpack back at camp could you possibly bring them to me?" Artemis laughed at him.

"Sure, Percy. But I will never let you live this down." She swiped through the message. Percy groaned and sank as low as he could in the shallow stream. A couple minutes later, Artemis appeared. She smirked at Percy.

"Hmm, maybe I shouldn't give you this bag." Percy paled.

"No! Please! I need it!" Artemis put a finger to her lips thinking.

"I don't know," she said. "You have clothes right there what do you need these for?" Percy glared at her.

"They are wet. I hate wet clothes. Now give me my backpack." Artemis rolled her eyes, but kept smiling.

"Fine," she said. "But if I do you have to do something for me." Percy nodded enthusiastically.

"Anything! I'll do anything just give me my backpack!" Artemis smiled evilly.

"Anything?"

"Anything!" Artemis nodded.

"Fine." She dropped the bag on the ground. "Here you go. But I will hold you to your promise." Percy nodded and she returned to camp to let Percy change. He quickly got out of the water when he was sure she was gone and dried himself off. He put on new clothes and walked back to camp. The hunters were all sitting at their makeshift table eating some venison. He hung up his wet clothes on the wire the hunters had set up. He looked around for his tent. It was usually piled up with the other tents.

"Hey, where is my tent?" Percy looked through the tents that still had not been set up but couldn't find his. "Where's Artemis?" The hunters began snickering.

"She left to go hunt some more food. You always eat too much," said Phoebe.

"Okay that's fine and all, but seriously where is my tent?" The hunters snickered again.

"It's over there," said Atalanta, pointing at a large silver tent. Percy gave the hunters a pointed look.

"Har, har, very funny. That's not my tent." Atalanta smiled at him.

"It is now." Percy paled.

"I'm not going in there. That's Artemis' tent. Give me my tent now." Zoe shook her head.

"Wasn't even our idea," she said. Percy looked at them confused.

"Then who's was it?"

"Mine." Percy turned around and saw Artemis standing there smirking. She had a deer draped across her shoulders. He paled. "You said you would do anything. Are you afraid, Percy?" Percy gulped and nodded. The hunters and Artemis laughed. She dropped the deer by the fire and patted Percy on the cheek before sitting down with the hunters. "Well get over it. Now let's see if you still remember how to skin a deer." Percy grimaced but sat down and showed the hunters why he was the most skilled deer skinner.

That night after an evening of laughter and stories Percy followed Artemis into her tent. She had decided to appear as a fourteen year old girl now to match Percy in age. He was incredibly nervous. He was only fourteen after all. He was much too young to share a tent with a girl; even if he had done so years ago. He walked in and immediately took a breath. He didn't know what he had expected but seeing his old things sure wasn't it. He looked around. His old chest from when he was a god. Beside it was the old pedestal that he had used to store his sword and shield. He opened the chest and found his old armor stored neatly. He looked up at Artemis who was sitting on her bed shyly.

"You kept all this?" he asked. His voice wavered with emotion. She nodded.

"I never thought you had faded like everyone else did. I knew you would come back some day. I kept them for you." Percy closed the chest and sat down on the bed beside her. He put his hand under her cheek and made her look at him. Her silver eyes sparkled.

"Thank you." She smiled and rested her head on his shoulder. He smiled and rested his head on hers. "I'm not leaving. Not this time. I'm here to stay." She hugged him tightly. "But do I have to sleep in here?" Artemis punched him in the gut. "I'll take that as a yes," he said, gripping his stomach in pain. Artemis responded by hugging him tighter. Percy sighed. _Oh well_ , he thought. _I could be in a worse situation._ Slowly, he felt his eye lids close as his body finally succumbed to his exhaustion.

"Ahem," came a rather loud voice. Percy jumped knocking Artemis off the bed. She got up glaring at Percy. He shrugged meekly at her. He looked back at the tent flap. Bianca was glimmering in a rainbow looking at them awkwardly.

"Am I intruding on something?" she asked. Percy sighed.

"No. What's going on, Bianca?" She nodded seriously.

"You need to get back to camp. Something happened. You need to hurry." Percy nodded and got up. He swiped through the message. Artemis frowned.

"You have to leave?" Percy turned to her and nodded.

"If Bianca is the one calling me, then it must be bad." Artemis nodded.

"Then we are coming with you. You promised you wouldn't leave and I don't intend on letting you break your promise." Percy smiled at her. He pulled her into a hug.

"Thank you," he said. She smiled up at him. She had forgotten just how much taller he was than her. They walked out of the tent together to a chorus of cheering hunters. Percy glared at them all but it didn't do anything.

"Alright, stop your laughing," said Artemis. The hunters stopped but they kept smiling at them. Percy sighed but smiled. This was better than having them trying to castrate him. "Percy and I just received an important message. Percy is needed back at camp and we are going with him." All the hunters except Rachel groaned. "I know you don't want to but we are staying with Percy. So pack everything up. I'll take us there in my chariot." The hunters finally agreed, glad that at least they didn't have to walk all the way to New York.

It didn't take long for them to pack up the camp and soon they were in the air traveling to New York. It was still very early in the morning and the sun had not yet risen. Artemis explained to Percy that in recent years she and Apollo had found a way to let their chariots travel on their own so they didn't have to be in the sky every day and night. They arrived in camp just as the sun rose. Percy was very impressed to see that Chiron had stationed guards at the entrance along with Peleus. The guards were two sons of Ares. They nodded at the hunters and Percy and let them through. Camp had grown exponentially. Chiron had completely changed it. The Hephaestus cabin had built defense walls around the camp's land facing borders. The walls were wide enough to allow archers on top. Apollo campers were stationed around the wall tops. Greek fire lamps lined the ramparts. Artemis sent her chariot away and they walked up to the Big House.

Artemis told the hunters to wait outside while she and Percy went inside. They found Chiron in his wheelchair and the camp counselors all engaged in a heated conversation. Percy was happy to see Bianca sitting in a new seat for Hades. Dionysus was sitting in the corner reading a wine magazine. Beside Chiron was a man that Percy didn't recognize. The man looked at him and paled, but didn't say anything. Percy just frowned.

"We have to find a way down there! If that's really the Titan's plans then we have to prepare for it!" Chiron rubbed his face wearily. He looked up and noticed Artemis and Percy.

"Percy!" Everyone stopped and looked to the door. They all smiled and greeted Percy and bowed to Artemis. Artemis took a seat in the Artemis chair. Percy took a seat in the Gabriel chair. Chiron had insisted on putting a cabin and chair at camp in his honor as well as an honorary table in the dining area. Percy didn't have the heart to tell the old centaur no.

"What's going on, Chiron? Bianca called me telling me to come as quickly as I could." Chiron nodded, a frown on his face.

"Clarisse went on a secret quest earlier this summer. She was to find an entrance to the Labyrinth."

"You mean Daedalus' Labyrinth?" asked Percy. Chiron nodded.

"Yes. Well, Clarisse can tell you the rest."

"We found an entrance in the city but we wanted to make sure that there wasn't an entrance here at camp. I couldn't find anything down there except for a demigod that went missing a couple of months ago. I had to come back before I could keep looking. But Chris, the demigod I found, says that the Titans believe there is an entrance to camp." Percy narrowed his eyes.

"And how would he know?" Clarisse stared back at him defiantly.

"He was captured by them a couple years ago. He was constantly tortured, but he overheard their plans." Percy nodded and smiled at her. She calmed down and smiled back albeit a bit forced.

"Alright, so what's the plan?" Chiron sighed.

"That's the problem. We need to send someone into the Labyrinth to look for the entrance here at camp and to make sure the Titans army cannot make it through the Labyrinth."

"Yes but how can we possibly find the entrance?" asked Lee Fletcher. The other camp counselors started yelling at each other again different ways and methods.

"Enough!" yelled Artemis. Everyone stopped immediately. Artemis glared at the campers. "I believe that our guest here has something to say." Everyone turned to the man beside Chiron. Percy thought he looked familiar but couldn't think of the man's name. "Who are you?"

"My name is Quintus. I am the new sword-master here at camp," he explained to Percy and Artemis. They nodded. "I am an older child of Athena. I have studied the Labyrinth for quite some time. I believe that there are two options you can choose. You can either search for Ariadne's string, or you can find a clear sighted mortal to lead the way." Everyone sat in silence contemplating his words.

"Isn't one of your hunters a clear sighted mortal?" asked Chiron to Percy and Artemis. They nodded.

"Yes, Rachel. But she may not want to be a part of this. How will we find Ariadne's string?" asked Percy. Quintus nodded, expecting the question.

"I believe that Daedalus stored it in the heart of the Labyrinth. If you can make your way through the maze you should be able to find his old workshop. That's what old manuscripts say, at least." Quintus looked embarrassed at all the attention. Percy smiled in thanks, though he still had a nagging idea that he knew the man from somewhere.

"I just have one question," said Percy. Everyone looked to him. "How do we know that this Chris person is telling the truth? What if the Labyrinth doesn't exist at all? Or what if Chris just told us they were looking for the Labyrinth but they are really preparing a full scale invasion over land?" Everyone looked down. Everyone, that is, except Clarisse. She glared at Percy and he could see her eyes beginning to water. _Shit, what did I do now?_ He thought to himself.

"We know because the Titans drove him to insanity, Prissy. They tortured him harsher than Luke, here." Luke paled but nodded. "Plus, I've been down into the Labyrinth." She shuddered. "It's an awful, evil place." Percy's eyes widened and he looked down.

"I'm sorry. I didn't know." Clarisse's gaze softened and she gave him a small smile.

"It's ok. It's just been hard seeing him like that." Percy nodded.

"I understand." Thalia tapped her foot impatiently.

"Alright so back to the main topic on hand. Who will be leading this quest?" Chiron looked around at the room.

"I believe that it would be best if you, Thalia, led this quest." Everyone let out a sigh of relief. No one wanted to have to go down into the Labyrinth. Thalia grew nervous but steeled her nerves and stood up.

"Then I will go up to the attic and speak to the Oracle right now." Everyone clapped for her. Artemis leaned over to Percy.

"She would make a wonderful hunter." Percy smirked but nodded. He had been thinking the same thing. It was several long minutes before Thalia returned looking pale.

"Did you receive a prophecy?" Thalia nodded.

" _You shall delve in the darkness of the endless maze,_

 _The dead, the traitor, and the lost one raise._

 _You shall rise or fall by the contrite's hand,_

 _The child of Athena's final stand._

 _Destroy with a hero's final breath,_

 _And lose a soul, for good, to death."_

Everyone paled. Chiron cleared his throat.

"Who will you be taking?" Thalia sat down in her seat.

"I will take Bianca, Percy, and Luke." The three heroes sat up tall in their seats. "Will you join me?" They nodded. Artemis looked at Percy with worry.

"Spend the rest of today preparing. We will go over everything tomorrow morning before you all leave," said Chiron. Everyone nodded and left the Big House. Artemis and Percy walked to her cabin. They walked in and found the hunters reading and telling stories. They looked up and smiled. Their smiles didn't last long when they saw Artemis' forlorn look.

"Milady, what's wrong?" Percy pulled Artemis in for a hug. The hunters all stood up and came close.

"Percy has been called to go on a quest." Zoe and Phoebe cocked their heads.

"And what's wrong? He's completed every quest he's ever gone on." Artemis shook her head.

"I know but this time it's different. He is going into the Labyrinth. The prophecy isn't a very positive one. We could lose Percy for good this time." The hunters paled.

"Why do you think that?" asked Atalanta.

"The last line says: _and lose a soul, for good, to death_ ," said Percy. The hunters felt tears coming to their eyes. They huddled around their patrons and hugged them tightly.

"You won't die, Percy. You promised us you wouldn't leave. We expect you to return." Percy smiled weakly.

"Thank you for your confidence, but you never know." Atalanta slapped him on the face.

"Don't talk like that. I just got my father back and I sure as Hades won't let him leave again." The hunters all shouted in agreement. Even the newer hunters had come to see Percy as their father. Percy smiled at them and hugged Artemis tighter.

"Then I guess I'll just have to come back, won't I?"

 **A/N: I'm back again guys. I hope that you all enjoyed this chapter and that it makes up for the pretty boring last chapter. Tell me what you guys think! Thanks again for the reviews, favorites, and follows. You guys are the best!**


	16. Chapter 16

The moon was high up in the sky. The city lights shone brightly, blocking the light of the stars. A cold rain drenched the city in a constant downpour. Thalia and the others walked quietly past the skyscrapers and stores. They found the alleyway that Clarisse had marked, and, making sure no one saw them, crept towards the dark dead end. Percy pulled out a flashlight and illuminated the wall. It took a couple of minutes, but they soon found the blue delta sign. Thalia pressed it and a small opening appeared. She led the way followed by Percy, Bianca, and lastly Luke. Their plan was to find Daedalus' workshop. The Athena cabin had decided that it would be found in the oldest part of the Labyrinth.

"I heard that in a maze, you put your hand up on the right side and eventually you'll always make it to where you are hoping to go," said Luke.

"Maybe," said Thalia hesitantly. "But the Labyrinth most likely has multiple entrances. It'll take us months to find the center, and Clarisse warned us that time moves much slower here." Thalia paused and looked back at her friends. "I can't think of anything else to do. Let's just walk along to the right." They nodded and continued walking. Percy closed his eyes and thought for a moment. Suddenly his body glowed a warm gold. Everyone turned to him in awe. He just smirked and shrugged.

"A little power I remembered recently. I'm the god of balance. Where there is darkness there must be light. I can emit a small glow. This should help us see where we are going." They nodded, smiling. They were thankful not to have to walk through the Labyrinth in the dark. Percy handed his flashlight to Thalia so that they could see in front of them. Percy could only light up where they were currently standing.

After what felt like hours, Percy's watch had stopped working due to the Labyrinth's different time, they came upon an open enclave. The room was incredibly large. Thalia pointed the flashlight upwards but the beam didn't reach the ceiling. Percy squinted his eyes trying to see into the darkness when he saw a faint glow of light coming several yards in front of him. He quickly reverted to normal.

"What are you doing?" asked Bianca.

"There's a light coming up ahead. I don't know what it is. We need to be careful." He couldn't see the others but he assumed that they nodded. Thalia kept the flashlight on but pointed it directly at the ground in front of them to minimize the amount of light that whoever was there could see. It took several minutes before they came to the other light. A small torch alit with Greek fire was hung beside a large bronze door.

"What do we do?" asked Luke. Percy looked to Thalia.

"I think we should go through. It might be the workshop. This door looks ancient. It would make sense that Daedalus' workshop is there if the Athena cabin is right." Percy nodded. He pulled Isorropia out from his wrist. Luke pulled out Backbiter, Bianca pulled out Soulreaper, her sword from Hades, and Thalia just took out her shield. "I'll go first. My shield will stun whoever looks at us long enough for you three to take them out." They all nodded. Percy stood to the left of the door and put a hand on the handle. The others took up positions around the door, Thalia right across from Percy. Percy mouthed _one, two, three_. He opened the door and Thalia marched into the room holding her shield up high. The others followed right behind her.

The room was well lit. It was circular with three other doors all leading in different directions. The walls were lined with Greek fire torches. A lone woman stood in the middle. She had black hair was incredibly tall. She had a two serpentine tails connected to her body. Percy politely pushed Thalia behind him.

"Who is that, Perce?" she asked. Percy didn't respond but pulled Anaklusmos out as well. Thalia pulled out her spear and Bianca and Luke gripped their swords tighter. The woman turned around and Luke visibly shuddered.

"Dear gods what the Hades is that?" Percy glared at the woman.

"Echidna. The mother of all monsters." Echidna smiled evilly at them.

"Ah, little demigods have wandered into places they have no business being. You would have been better off never having come down here." Echidna turned towards Percy and paled at the sight of his sword and golden eyes.

"No! I heard rumors that you returned but I didn't believe them!" Percy smirked.

"You caused me great pain, Echidna. You will pay for everything you have done to me." Echidna snarled.

"You cannot harm me, Olympian. The ancient laws restrict you!" She roared and two monsters came into the room from the sides. Thalia and the others paled. The Chimera and Hydra roared and stalked them behind Echidna. "My children will kill you all and you won't be able to stop them." She smirked at Percy. Percy raised Isorropia above his head pointing it at Echidna. Anaklusmos he kept pointed at the floor in front of his chest.

"I am no Olympian. The ancient laws will not save you this time." Echidna roared once more and the Chimera and Hydra rushed towards them. Percy charged as did the others.

"I'll take the Hydra, you three take the Chimera!" They knew better than to argue with Percy. The Hydra struck at Percy in every direction with all of its nine heads. Percy flung himself sideways into the air. He sliced with both swords leaving giant gashes in two of them. The two heads recoiled but the other seven did not relent. Percy ducked beneath one and stabbed upwards. Blood began pouring out of the head profusely covering him in it. He rolled and dodged away from the Hydra. He wiped the blood off his face and snarled at the monster. He took a split second to see how the others were faring. Having three against the Chimera made the monster easier to handle since each head had to concentrate on one demigod. Percy didn't have much time to watch since the Hydra was back at him. The three injured heads were raised above the others away from the reach of his swords.

A green glow began to emit from the Hydra's chest and Percy's eyes widened. He switched Anaklusmos with Isorropia and threw the bronze sword at the monster. Anaklusmos embedded itself deep in the Hydra's chest. It reared back roaring so loudly that the room shook. Blood and green acid poured out of the Hydra's chest. Percy used the distraction and grabbed a Greek fire torch from off the wall. He rushed the Hydra which had grown even angrier than before. Percy growled at it and his eyes glowed a bright gold. Time slowed down in the room for all except Percy. He jumped into the air and swung Isorropia with all of his strength. Two of the heads were sliced clean off. Percy landed on the Hydra's back and hacked off the other heads. When he was done he lit them on fire with the torch. His eyes returned to normal and time speed back up. The Hydra collapsed to the ground in a spray of golden dust. Percy dropped the torch and picked Anaklusmos back off from the floor. He wiped the dust and blood off his leather jacket. He looked over just as Thalia managed to ram her electric spear into the Chimera's heart turning it to dust.

Echidna stood by the fourth door shaking with fear. Percy walked up towards her, anger radiating from his eyes. He kept walking till he was only a foot away from her. Her red eyes were wide in panic. He lifted Anaklusmos up to her throat.

"You killed five of my hunters. The ancient laws kept me from getting my revenge but I do not adhere to them anymore. Tell Tartarus I said hello." He thrust Isorropia hard into her stomach. The blade ripped through her body piercing her spine and her brain. Echidna did not have a chance to say anything before she joined her sons into the dust. Percy put Isorropia away and capped Anaklusmos. He turned back to the others who stared at him with a little fear. He sighed.

"Thousands of years ago when I was still with the hunt, we ran into Echidna and the Hydra. The ancient laws prevented Artemis or I from doing anything despite Echidna and her son being monsters." Percy felt a few tears running down his face. "We stood and watched, helplessly, as the Hydra killed five of my hunters. Finally they were able to defeat the Hydra, but not before Echidna fled. I vowed that one day I would get my revenge. I've finally avenged my daughters." Thalia put a hand on his shoulder. Percy smiled weakly at her. "Let's go. We still need to find Daedalus' workshop." They nodded.

"Which door do we take?" asked Bianca.

"I say we take that one," said Luke pointing at the door behind Percy. "The Chimera and Hydra came in through the other two doors. Who knows what else might be behind them." They all agreed and walked through the door. Percy began to glow once more. They followed the walk way for several minutes. The walls began shifting and widening and narrowing themselves. They quickened their pace. Soon they came to a fork in the road. They quickly decided to go to the right. The path began to change. Instead of red bricks and concrete, they found marble. They looked around in awe. The walls depicted ancient Roman battles. They saw Caesar leading his troops into battle and legions marching with aquilas. Soon the architecture changed. The marble turned into wood and tree roots outlined the path. After a couple of minutes, they came to a small, hidden door in between the roots. Percy felt a familiar power pulsing faintly behind the door. His eyes widened.

"What is it, Perce?" asked Luke. Percy turned to look at them.

"Wait here. I know what is behind this door. It's something I need to do alone. Please," he said. His friends didn't seem too pleased but agreed to wait outside. "Make camp right here. You can light a fire. It's been a long time and we need to get our rest." Thalia nodded. Percy smiled at them. "It'll be alright. I'll be back soon." He opened the door and walked into the room. He looked around and found a beautiful room. Trees and ferns surrounded the room and light shown down through a small crack in the ceiling. Sitting on a stump was a large satyr playing reed pipes. The satyr didn't notice Percy walking in.

"Is this where you hid yourself, my old friend?" The satyr stopped playing.

"Gabriel? Is that you?" he asked, not turning around. Percy laughed.

"Yes, my friend. It's me." The satyr turned around and smiled. Percy frowned. The satyr looked old and in bad health. "Pan! What's happened to you?" Pan took in a deep, pained sigh.

"I fear that I will soon fade. The world is being destroyed more than it is being created. Soon there won't be much left in the world for me to remain." Percy frowned and sat down on the ground in front of Pan. "I heard rumors that you had faded, Gabriel. How is it that you are here?" Percy smiled kindly.

"I made myself hidden from the world. I had much business to attend to and I needed to do things that required me leaving earth for a time. But now I have returned. I'm back for good." Pan smiled back.

"I'm glad to see you. It's been so very long." Percy smiled sadly.

"It really has. I tried to find you, Pan, but I couldn't find you." Pan nodded.

"One of the Labyrinth's many talents. I was hidden to the world. I have survived here for centuries, though it has become my prison more than my home." Percy frowned.

"I know of a place you could go. You can retain your domain and will have enough praise to keep you from fading." Pan scoffed.

"You mean go to that retched camp?" Percy nodded.

"It has changed in the last few years. Demeter's children have kept the place clean and healthy. You will find peace and asylum there. We need you. The Titans are returning and I fear that they bring with them a power too great for us. We need all the help we can get." Pan sighed and closed his eyes. After a few moments he opened them again.

"Do you think that I can survive there?" Percy nodded.

"The satyrs and nymphs will give you the praise you deserve. You'll be back to your old self in no time." Pan nodded.

"I will head to camp then. Will I see you there?" Percy smiled but shook his head. He stood up.

"No, not yet. We are on a quest to find Daedalus' workshop. Once we have found it we will return to camp." Pan nodded.

"I know where his workshop is," he said. Percy's eyes widened.

"Really? Where is it?"

"It is at the newest part of the Labyrinth." Percy frowned.

"The newest?" he asked. "We thought it would be in the oldest." Pan shook his head.

"Daedalus isn't dead, Gabriel." Percy's eyes widened.

"How?" he asked. "It's been centuries! He should be dead by now!"

"I believe that he created an automaton for himself and somehow found a way to transfer his soul." Percy frowned.

"Then finding him is doubly important. There is a time to live, yes. But there is also a time to die. Daedalus cannot live forever." Pan nodded.

"Keep following this path till you reach Hades' domain. There you may ask Hades where Daedalus' workshop is. I would assume that Hades would be keeping track of where the old inventor is, seeing as how he has denied himself his death." Percy nodded.

"We will do as you say. I'll see you at camp, Pan." Pan smiled.

"Thank you for this chance, my friend. It will be good to return to the world." Percy helped Pan up to his feet, shook his hand, and turned to leave. "Gabriel!" Pan called out. Percy turned around.

"Be careful. I fear that the monsters down here are getting restless. The spirits are growing angry." Percy nodded and walked back into the Labyrinth. Thalia was keeping watch while Luke and Bianca slept peacefully by a small fire. Percy plopped down beside Thalia, sighing with exhaustion.

"Where have you been?" she asked him.

"I was speaking with an old friend. Pan the old god of nature was close to fading. I gave him another option. He should be waiting for us at camp right now." Thalia's eyes widened in shock.

"Pan?" she asked incredulously. "The lost god that every satyr, even Grover, has been searching for, for centuries?" Percy smiled.

"Yes. He's a very dear friend to me." Thalia just shook her head.

"Just when I thought you had nothing left to impress me with." Percy snorted.

"Thalia, I have a question." She looked at him, her eyes glimmering in the fire's light. "Artemis and I have been talking. We want you to join the hunt." Thalia's eyes widened.

"You want me to join the hunt?" Percy nodded.

"You are strong, Thals. You're brave. You would fit will with us." Thalia looked at the fire.

"I don't know," she said. Percy nodded.

"I don't expect you to answer me know. Wait till after we get out of the Labyrinth. Then you can tell me what you think." Thalia nodded. Percy put an arm around her shoulder. "You're my best friend, Thals. I just want to see you happy." She smiled and was about to speak when a yawn interrupted her. Percy laughed quietly. "Get some rest. I'll take watch." Thalia nodded, too tired to argue.

Several hours later Thalia woke up to a wonderful smell. She lifted her head up from the ground to see Percy cooking some bacon and eggs over the fire. She saw Bianca and Luke lifting their heads as well. Percy smirked and handed them each some food. They scarfed the food down quickly.

"I know what we need to do now. We need to keep going down this path till we reach the Underworld. Hades should be able to let us know where Daedalus is." Thalia looked confused.

"You mean his workshop?" Percy shook his head.

"No. Apparently Daedalus found a way to cheat death. I'm not entirely sure how. Hades should know where Daedalus is holed up."

"How do you know all this?" asked Luke.

"Pan told me."

[LINEBREAK]

Ethan stared at the cell doors. He had been imprisoned on Olympus for over a year. His master would be furious. But he had to get away. He looked to his right and found Annabeth curled up in the fetal position. She looked as bad as he felt. They had been beaten and deprived of all their knowledge by Aphrodite, Apollo, and Ares. Ethan shuddered. No matter how badly the Olympians treated him his master's anger would be much worse.

"Grub." Ethan looked up. Every day like clockwork they would get a small meal delivered by a minor god. Ethan didn't move. "I said grub, fool." Ethan lifted up his head slowly.

"T-too w-weak," he whispered out. The minor god cursed and fumbled with his belt getting out the key to the cell.

"For gods sake. I always have the hard job." The god opened the cell door and picked up the food. He walked it over to Ethan. "Here e-." Ethan cut him off by leaping to his feet and stabbing the god with a shiv he had made. The god fell to the ground crying out in pain, ichor pouring onto the cell floor. Ethan snatched the key and ran into the corridor. He got to Annabeth's door where she stood standing and waiting. He unlocked it and she followed him.

"Come on," he said. "We need to get out of here before someone notices we are missing." They left the prison and ran down the streets of Olympus. Since none of the nymphs or minor gods ever dealt with them, they didn't have to worry about being recognized. They made it to the elevator and pressed the button for the ground floor. Several agonizing minutes of terrible elevator music later, they were on the streets of New York. It was the middle of the night. Ethan and Annabeth ran down the streets till they arrived at a dark alley way. They made it to the back and Ethan pressed the blue delta sign. They crept into the passage way down into the Labyrinth. They began running to the left.

It took them several hours but finally they arrived in a large cavern. Tents full of monsters and demigods in full armor filled the cavern. Ethan and Annabeth made their way down the line of tents till they reached the largest one. It was golden and a giant scythe was imprinted above the tent flap. They walked inside and found three figures standing over a map. They bowed.

"You returned," said one of the figures. Ethan nodded but did not look up.

"Yes, milord. We escaped Olympus earlier today."

"You may rise." The demigods stood up.

"We believe that this is where Daedalus' is located," said the figures, returning to their previous conversation. Ethan and Annabeth moved to the side, out of the way.

"How do we know that he will be there, Hyperion?" asked another.

"We don't but Antaeus should know. We are near his arena," said the Hyperion. The third remained silent. Ethan didn't recognize the third. It was a woman. She had black hair but wasn't very tall. Prometheus scratched his beard.

"It will take some time convincing Antaeus," said Prometheus.

"Maybe, but he will aid us. I am sure of it," said the woman. Hyperion nodded.

"We will speak to him when we are sure our forces are ready." Hyperion turned back to the demigods. "Get your things ready. Make sure your blades are sharp and your armor clean. The master is waiting." Ethan and Annabeth bowed and left the tent to prepare. Ethan felt beads of sweat forming on his forehead. When the master waited, nothing every went well for him.

[LINEBREAK]

Thalia and the others finally arrived in the Underworld. Thalia began to shiver, but Percy calmed her down.

"Don't worry, Pinecone Face. I won't let your uncle harm you." Thalia nodded but still felt uneasy in the Underworld. Bianca led the way to her father's palace. Many dead souls watched them but made no move on them with a child of Hades leading the way. They arrived at the doors to Hades' palace and knocked on the skull-covered doors. The doors swung open eerily and the demigods walked inside. Hades sat on a throne made of skulls; Persephone's throne remained empty since it was the summer.

"Bianca, Gabriel, what brings you down here?" He smiled when he saw Bianca and Percy. All except for Percy bowed to the god of the Underworld.

"We are on a quest, father," said Bianca standing back up. Hades nodded. "We need to find Daedalus." Hades sighed.

"I've been looking for him as well. Minos, one of the ghosts on the seat of judgement has escaped to track him down. I now have a soul refusing to die, and a ghost refusing to stay dead." Percy frowned.

"Is it possible to track Minos down?" Hades thought for a moment before nodding.

"Bianca, your sword." Bianca looked confused. "Unsheathe it." Bianca did as she was told. Soulreaper shown brightly in the Underworld. Percy felt a little uneasy standing near the cursed sword. "That sword is more powerful than you know. It will allow you to find lost souls. Search deep within yourself and you will find what you look for." Bianca frowned at her father.

"Isn't there more you can tell me?" Hades shook his head sadly.

"I'm afraid I am not like Gabriel here. I am still bound by the ancient laws. I cannot aid you anymore on your quest." Bianca nodded and walked up to hug her father.

"Thank you anyways," she said. Hades smiled before he looked thoughtful.

"Before you all leave, I have something to ask of you." They nodded.

"There is a strong power that enters and leaves my domain. I cannot figure out what it is, it knows how to track its aura. I believe that something sinister is going on. If you all find out what is going on I may be able to help you more with your quest." Percy crossed his arms.

"Where do you sense this power coming from?"

"I believe that it is coming from the River Styx." Percy's eyes widened.

"Could it be that-."

"Yes, I believe so," said Hades cutting him off. The others looked at the two gods confused.

"We will help, brother. We will take care of this problem for you and return soon." Hades nodded, smiling.

"Thank you. I fear that if nothing is done about this that things will turn so much worse." Percy nodded. He led the others out of Hades' palace. When they made it out, Thalia stopped them.

"What do you think you're doing, Perce?" Percy frowned.

"The Titans might be using the River Styx to force demigods and monsters to bathe hoping one of them might gain invulnerability." Thalia's eyes widened.

"We can't let that happen," said Luke. "We can wait to finish this quest. Stopping the Titans from doing this is crucial if we want to keep the upper hand." Thalia nodded.

"Fine. We will help Hades with this, but next time, Percy?" Percy looked at her. "Let me make the call on my own quest." Percy smiled apologetically. Thalia just rolled her eyes but smiled back at him. "Alright, Bianca, lead the way. I have no fucking clue where the Styx is." Bianca snorted but led them deeper in the Underworld.

 **A/N: Sorry it's so late, but here is Chapter 16 finally. Hope you all enjoyed it! Let me know what you guys think. The Battle of the Labyrinth will be much different in this story. I will admit, however, that it took a lot of time figuring out a way to make this story unique. So review and let me know what you guys think. Thank you to everyone that has reviewed, favorited, and followed! I really appreciate it.**


	17. Chapter 17

Ethan stood on top of a large boulder. The master had put him in charge of a special mission. He grasped the amulet around his neck. The master had told him that the amulet would cover their auras enabling them to work quickly and quietly in the Underworld. Hades had no idea what was going on in his own domain. Below Ethan were several monsters standing guard. Beside the guards was a line of demigods marching towards the River Styx. Ethan scowled as he watched one by one trip into the river and never come back up.

The master required a vessel, and only a demigod with Achilles' curse could possibly contain the master's sheer power. Each demigod walked triumphantly up to the river, not wanting to fail. Every now and then one would grow fearful and attempt to back out. Kampe, who was standing guard behind Ethan, would rush out quickly and throw the demigod into the river. The screams filled the monster with pure glee. Ethan felt uneasy standing beside her. She was easily the most terrifying creature he had ever seen in his life. She was chaotic and unpredictable. The only thing that kept her from killing him was the fact that he had been marked by the master. Ethan rubbed the mark on his arm absentmindedly. Upon returning to his master, he and Annabeth had been branded. The brand was a sword impaling the world. It fueled Ethan's anger towards the gods. He would be the one to take Olympus down. He was sure of it.

[LINEBREAK]

The questers finally made it to the River Styx. Bianca's sword pointed them against the river's current and so they continued along the river's edge. After several hours of walking, Percy heard something and held up a fist, stopping the group.

"What is it, Perce?" asked Thalia. Percy squinted towards the source of the noise.

"There's something up ahead. I don't know what it is." Bianca put her sword away.

"I'll go check and come right back," she said. Thalia nodded. Bianca stepped into a shadow and disappeared. A couple of moments later, she reappeared beside them. Luke jumped with fright causing Thalia to burst out in laughter before Percy clamped her mouth shut with his hand.

"Shhh," he said. Thalia glared at him but stopped laughing. He turned to Bianca. "What's up ahead, B?" She shook her head.

"There are at least ten harpys standing guard over around fifty demigods. They are marching up to the river and each diving in. I don't think any have returned so far. Ethan is standing on top of a rock watching and a giant, green monster lady is behind him." Percy paled.

"Does the monster lady have snake hair, wings, and a dragon's body?" Bianca nodded.

"And a bunch of heads around her waist. Do you know what she is?" Thalia and Luke paled realizing what it was, too. Percy nodded.

"It's Kampe. She's probably one of the worst monsters in existence." Percy shook his head. "This isn't good. We need a plan." Thalia nodded.

"I can't call on lightning in the Underworld. I'll have to rely on my spear and shield." Percy nodded.

"Luke is fast. He can help take down the harpys standing guard. You and Bianca can take on the demigods. Leave Kampe to me. I've faced her before." Bianca and Thalia nodded. Luke pulled Backbiter out from its sheathe.

"Come on," he said. "My sword is itching for monster blood." They all grinned and pulled out their swords. Percy pulled out Isorropia and his shield. Thalia looked at him.

"Why the shield and not Anaklusmos?" Percy stood up.

"Kampe produces dark green venom. My shield will help protect me from it." They nodded and stood up with Percy. Percy turned towards where the enemy was and took off at a run.

"Bianca can you shadow travel us all?" he asked on the run.

"Yes, I can," she responded. Percy smirked.

"When I say so, send us all directly in front of the monsters. We'll take them by surprise." They kept running. Up ahead they could now begin to see a faint light from the where the monsters and demigods were. Percy counted to three in his head. _One, two, three_.

"Now!" Bianca gathered all the shadows towards them. The world went dark for a split second but they continued running. All of a sudden they reappeared directly in front of the monsters and demigods. The harpys screeched with startled fear. The demigods whirled around and frantically tried to get their weapons out before realizing they didn't have any. Kampe roared. Luke made quick work of the startled harpys and joined the others against the demigods. Thalia and Bianca took down the demigods that tried to put up a fight. Many took off, running back to where Percy assumed was another entrance to the Labyrinth. A demigod picked up a rock and tried to smash his head with it, but Percy ducked and planted a strong kick to the kid's sternum. He collapsed to the ground in a heap. Percy looked up and found Ethan staring in shock, not moving. Kampe shoved the son of Nemesis out of the way and leaped into the sky and landing in front of Percy. She pulled out two scimitars that dripped with green venom. He glared at the monster.

"Little demigod has come to play," she rasped out. Her scorpion-like tail whipped back and forth behind her. She looked at Percy's sword and her eyes widened. Percy smirked at the tinge of fear in her eyes.

"Remember me?" She glared and charged at him. Her attacks were fast and Percy was forced on the defensive. He blocked each strike with his sword and shield but didn't have enough time to land any blows in return.

Meanwhile, Bianca, Thalia, and Luke managed to incapacitate or defeat all of the remaining demigods. Thalia was battling Ethan beside the giant rock, while Luke and Bianca turned to help Percy with Kampe. Kampe pulled her tail back and struck at Percy three times in quick secession. Percy dove out of the way and the tail struck the ground with such force that Kampe struggled to get it free. Luke used the distraction and struck Kampe's tail. He sliced it clean off eliciting such a loud cry of pain that the Underworld shook. Percy climbed back up to his feet and attacked Kampe with renewed vigor. The monster, despite losing her tail, was still incredibly fast and deadly. Luke and Bianca attacked the monster from the side, but Kampe was still too fast. She blocked, lunged, stabbed with such precision and speed that the demigods were forced to step back. Kampe flapped her wings and took up into the air. She hovered for a second, while the demigods caught their breath. All of a sudden, she plummeted to the ground creating a shockwave. Luke was flung to the side and crashed into the giant rock, landing unconscious. Percy used his shield to take the fall but he landed on the ground so hard that he struggled to stand back up. Bianca was the only one that resisted the wave by falling into a shadow and reappearing beside Kampe. She stabbed with her cursed sword. Kampe roared in pain and turned to attack the daughter of Hades.

Bianca danced around the monster. She struck, dropped into a shadow, reappeared in a different spot, and attacked again. She covered the monster in thousands of cuts and green ooze dripped continuously out of the monster's body. Kampe stopped moving for a second. Bianca disappeared into a shadow and reappeared, but Kampe was expecting it. She wiped Bianca hard with the remainder of her tail sending her flying across the Underworld. Percy finally managed to get back to his feet and charged Kampe. She used Percy's weak state against him moving quickly and attacking him with both her swords. He tried vainly to use his godly powers, but he was drained from the fight. Kampe was the strongest monster he had ever faced in his demigod body, and he was feeling the fatigue. Kampe feinted to the left and Percy went to block and immediately realized his mistake. Kampe spun to the right and the side of his head with full force with her tail. Percy crashed to the ground completely unconscious.

Bianca stood back up in time to see Percy fall.

"No!" she cried out. Kampe turned to her and hissed. Bianca closed her eyes and lifted her sword. Soulreaper began to glow an eerie silver and she stabbed it into the ground. Kampe stalked towards her but stopped, fearfully. From the ground around Bianca an army of dead ghosts and demigods arose. The shadows congregated together forming a giant shade. Bianca opened her eyes and Kampe flinched. Bianca's eyes were pitch black and full of rage. She pointed Soulreaper at the monster and the army of the dead charged her. Kampe tried to fly away but the giant shade grabbed her wings and hauled her to the ground. Percy groaned and looked up to see Kampe being mauled and torn to shreds by skeletal warriors. His eyes widened and he turned to see Bianca commanding the army. _The dead, the traitor, and the lost one raise_ , he thought. Bianca was commanding the dead against the last remaining monster of Ethan's army. Ethan was the traitor. Percy tried to lift his head but his body was too weak. _The lost one raise?_ He tried to think what the prophecy meant. The other parts of the line had already come true so the last should have as well. He thought hard before his eyes widened in shock. _Pan!_ He had brought the fading god back and returned him to Camp Half-Blood. He was the lost one. Percy finally heard Kampe's screaming end and forced himself to look up. The dead army was gone and Bianca was panting heavily on her knees. He looked back to the river. Thalia was still fighting Ethan though she was quickly getting the upper hand. Percy groaned and reached into the pocket of his leather jacket and pulled out an ambrosia square. He forced the food into his mouth and swallowed it whole. He grimaced as the entire thing worked its way into his stomach but soon he felt his strength return to him. He ran towards Thalia and Ethan. He put Isorropia and his shield away and charged Ethan barehanded. Thalia saw him charging and backed away. Ethan turned and his eyes widened. He tried to hold his sword up, but Percy knocked it to the side and plowed into the traitorous demigod. Ethan went sprawling backwards. Percy didn't relent and ran towards Ethan again. Ethan lost his footing, stepping backwards, and Percy jumped into the air. He planted a strong kick to Ethan's chest sending him into the River Styx. Ethan screamed in pain as he felt the water around him. Percy wiped the sweat off his forehead and stared at the bubbling water.

After several minutes and still no sign of Ethan he let out a breath. Thalia walked up to him, sweating profusely, and smiled.

"He's gone. We need to check on the others." Percy's eyes widened. He had completely forgot about Bianca and Luke. He nodded to Thalia and ran back to where Luke was crumpled up beside the giant rock. He felt Luke's pulse, sighing in relief when he felt a steady heartbeat. He pulled out a small ambrosia square and some nectar and forced the godly food into the son of Hermes' mouth. It took several seconds but finally Luke began to cough and splutter. Percy smiled and got up. He turned around and saw Thalia was helping Bianca drink some nectar. Percy heard Luke groan and turned back.

"How are you feeling, Luke?" Luke rubbed the back of his head.

"Like someone dropped a pound of bricks on my head." He looked around. "What happened? What happened to all the bodies?" Percy sat down against the rock beside his friend.

"Kampe knocked you unconscious. Bianca called upon the dead and defeated her. Pretty badass if you ask me. And Thalia and I shoved Ethan into the Styx where he hopefully is burning alive." Luke laughed at Bianca being a badass. Thalia and Bianca walked over and sat down across from them.

"When anything dies here in the Underworld, their bodies disappear. Monsters go to Tartarus and demigods have their souls go straight into the fields of punishment, Asphodel, or Elysium, whichever they deserve," said Bianca. Everyone nodded. Percy stood back up and helped Luke to his feet.

"Come on guys. The sooner we tell Hades what happened here the sooner we get back into the Labyrinth." Thalia nodded and motioned for Bianca to lead the way. The trip back to Hades' palace went much smoother than the trip from there. They walked back into the Obsidian palace.

"Did you do as I asked?" asked Hades. Thalia nodded.

"Yes, uncle. We found Ethan Nakamura and Kampe leading a group of demigods into the Styx. None of the demigods returned. Bianca defeated Kampe and Ethan was shoved into the Styx and has not returned. We think he is dead along with the rest." Hades' eyes widened. He turned to Bianca.

"Is this true? Did you truly defeat Kampe?" Bianca nodded sheepishly. Hades smiled at her proudly. "I'm very proud of you, daughter. You have made me proud." Bianca blushed but smiled. Percy laughed.

"I'm glad everything worked out well, brother, but we need to continue on our quest." Hades nodded.

"There is an entrance to the Labyrinth much closer than the one you came from." Hades explained to Bianca where to go. They nodded their thanks and followed Bianca to the entrance. It didn't take them long to find it. It was hidden away between two giant stones beside an obsidian wall. Thalia put her hand up against the blue delta and the door swung open. They stepped into the Labyrinth once more. They looked around and found that they were in a drastically different part of the Labyrinth. The architecture was reminiscent of the industrial age.

"We are headed in the right direction," said Percy, his body glowing once more.

"How do you know?" asked Luke. Percy pointed at the architecture.

"Pan told me that Daedalus would be found in the newest part of the Labyrinth not the oldest. Last time I checked, the Industrial revolution came after the fall of Rome." Luke nodded. "Bianca, pull out your sword. It should lead us to Daedalus." Bianca nodded and pulled out her sword. Soulreaper glowed faintly. She pointed it down both ends of the corridor. It shown brighter towards the right.

"Well looks like that's where we need to go," said Thalia. "Bianca, you lead the way." Bianca smiled and led the demigods through the Labyrinth. Several hours later they decided to finally stop to rest. Percy lit a fire and Luke took the first watch.

[LINEBREAK]

Ethan garbled up water. His entire body felt as though it was being burned off. He tried valiantly to find a way to tie his body to the mortal world. He saw his mother flash by, he saw his old friends, but finally he saw her. She rolled her eyes at him.

"Get your ass out of there before I shove my blade up it." Ethan felt a tug on his body and was flung out of the River Styx. He gasped for breath. He found his sword lying on the ground and picked it up. He returned it to its sheathe and looked around. Blood, dust, and green venom stained the ground but there was no sign of the infuriating demigods. He turned back to the Styx and paled. He had not wanted to be the one to host his master's essence. But now he had no choice. He steeled his nerves and walked back to the entrance to the Labyrinth they had used to get in. He opened the entrance and crept back inside. Images of the girl flashed through his mind before he shook his head. Now was not the time for that.

It took some time as the Labyrinth had shifted slightly, but he soon returned to the army. He walked past the tents to where his master was located. Two demigods stood guard outside the tent. They nodded to him and he went inside. His master's sarcophagus rested on a large pedestal. He knelt down in front of it.

 _Nakamura, you have returned_ , said his master.

"Yes, master."

 _Which of the demigods I provided you with survived?_ Ethan gulped.

"None, master." He felt his master grow furious. "It was the campers' fault! They attacked us. Kampe was destroyed." He kept his head down, afraid to mention anything else.

 _So you returned emptyhanded?_

"No, master. I was thrown into the Styx. I have returned baring the curse." He felt his master's anger recede followed by hollow laughter.

 _You? Hmm, you might do nicely. Come and rest your hands on this infernal chest._ Ethan hesitantly stood up and walked to the sarcophagus. He placed his hands atop it and immediately felt power rush into his body.

Outside, the guards and monsters heard Ethan's screams of pain. They shrugged. It wasn't their place to question what their master did. They just hoped they weren't next.

[LINEBREAK]

The questers woke up hours later. Luke doused the fire and they quickly returned to following Bianca's sword. They watched as the architecture turned from the industrial revolution, back to the classical era, and back again. Hours later they finally found what they were looking for. The architecture turned back into more contemporary. Paintings and portraits lined the walls. Percy looked at paintings by Jackson Pollock and others. The colors seemed to brighten the Labyrinth. The Labyrinth also began to provide its own light. Fluorescent lightbulbs began lining the walls. Percy quit his glowing. They continued onward until they found two large futuresque doors sealed with a giant delta sign. Percy nodded to the others.

"We made it. This is Daedalus' workshop. Let's get the bastard." Thalia smirked and opened the door. What they saw made their hearts drop. Daedalus was in chains while Annabeth and several monsters ransacked the workshop. Percy looked at Daedalus and suddenly made sense of many things. Daedalus was Quintus from camp. Daedalus saw the questers but didn't say anything when Percy glared at him.

"Annabeth!" called out Thalia. Annabeth and the monsters turned, weapons raised. Percy pulled out Isorropia and Luke and Bianca pulled their weapons out as well. Thalia continued to look at Annabeth. "How could you do this? You were my sister!" Annabeth glared at her. She opened her mouth to respond but was cut off.

"She is doing this because I told her to," came a voice from the other end of the workshop. Everyone turned to find Ethan Nakamura standing there. The questers paled. "Kill them and force Daedalus to talk. I will get my revenge," he said. Annabeth nodded and she along with the monsters attacked the demigods. Percy charged an empousi. He sidestepped to the right quickly and slashed the monster's side. It screamed and turned to dust. Two more empousae came at him.

Thalia pulled out her canister of mace and turned it into her electric spear. She charged Annabeth. She kept the child of Athena at a distance, but couldn't land a blow. Luke joined Bianca in fighting the other monsters. Ethan stood by the door, arms crossed. He watched as Luke, Bianca, and Percy made quick work of the monsters.

"Luke, free Daedalus and let's get out of here," said Percy as he killed the last empousi. Luke nodded and rushed to Daedalus' side. He slashed the chains and helped the old demigod to his feet. Ethan growled and opened the door behind him. Another swarm of monsters marched into the room and charged the demigods. Percy cursed out loud and uncapped Anaklusmos. Thalia and Annabeth were still locked in combat. Bianca slashed and killed multiple monsters with her sword. Ethan grew furious as the demigods killed his army. He pulled out his sword and crept up behind Luke who was busy fighting an empousi. He put the sword up to Luke's neck drawing a small bead of blood. Luke dropped his sword and grasped Ethan's arms frantically.

"Annabeth!" yelled Ethan. Everyone stopped. Percy looked over at Ethan and paled.

"Luke!" he cried out. Ethan pressed his sword up harder. Luke's eyes looked at his friends pleadingly. Annabeth paled as well.

"Ethan drop him! He hasn't done anything to you!" Ethan glared at her.

"Are you telling me to save him?" Annabeth paled but nodded. Ethan growled and looked at the remainder of his army. "Kill them all." The monsters growled in acceptance. Ethan made eye contact with Percy and smiled. He released Luke who dropped to the ground clutching his neck. Ethan wasted no time and buried his sword into Luke's back. Luke didn't make a single sound as he fell to the ground in a puddle of his own blood, dead. The questers and Annabeth cried out in anguish. Annabeth pulled out her dagger and flung it at Ethan. It struck him in the chest, but did no harm to his invulnerable body. Ethan growled at her with pure rage and left the room. Percy felt his godly form ready to burst.

"Take cover!" he called out to Thalia and Bianca and Daedalus. They dropped to the ground and covered their heads. Percy's body exploded in a bright golden light. The monsters near him exploded into golden dust. Percy roared and tore through the rest of the monsters. It took less than a minute and the ground was covered in a thin layer of golden dust. Percy felt his body return to normal, though he was still panting with adrenaline and rage. He knelt down beside Luke's dead body. He felt the tears flow freely down his cheeks. A noise in front of him startled him. He threw Anaklusmos at the source and heard a grunt of pain. He looked up and saw Annabeth sitting against the wall, Anaklusmos impaled deep into her gut. He growled and walked up to her. He yanked his sword free.

"I won't kill you this time. But if I ever see you again with Ethan, I will; if you make it out of here alive." She cried as blood poured freely from her stomach. Percy rolled his eyes and dropped a piece of ambrosia in her lap. She was the next line of the prophecy. _The contrite hand_ , he thought. She betrayed Ethan because of her love for Luke. Percy could not forgive her for joining Ethan, but she deserved another chance to live. He turned back around and found Thalia, Bianca, and Daedalus standing by some computers. Daedalus was typing away. Percy walked up to them.

"Daedalus. You have some explaining to do." Daedalus turned but nodded.

"Gabriel. I'll explain everything, but now we need to go. Now!" Percy looked at him confused.

"Why?" Daedalus paled.

"Because Ethan found the string. They will be at camp soon. We need to get back there as quickly as possible." Percy glared at him but nodded.

"Lead the way." Daedalus nodded and led the remaining three demigods out.

"Shouldn't we bring back Luke's body?" asked Thalia, tears in her eyes. Bianca turned and went back into the workshop. She returned a couple seconds later.

"I sent his body to my father. He'll make sure to give him a proper burial," she said at their questioning looks. Thalia nodded her thanks and wiped a few tears away. Percy pulled her into a hug. He held her for a few seconds before letting go.

"We can grieve later. We need to get back to camp." Thalia nodded and together they followed Daedalus back to camp.

 **A/N: Hey guys I'm sorry for the long absence. It was a long crazy weekend. Also, this chapter was pretty difficult to write. I hope you all loved it. Tell me what you guys think. Keep on coming with the reviews! Thanks for all the favorites, follows, and reviews guys I really appreciate it.**

 **Hey I'm sorry I haven't come out with chapter 18 yet. I am not feeling too well and I have a little bit of writer's block. Sooo, I'm going to take a week long break from this story. But do not worry, chapter 18 will come out next Tuesday for sure. Sorry about the inconvenience!**


	18. Chapter 18

With Daedalus leading the way, they made it through the Labyrinth with tremendous ease. The walls seemed to shift so that they never had to turn. They ran in a straight line. Daedalus carried a bright Greek fire lantern so Percy did not need to glow to light their way. It didn't take long and soon they reached a small door.

"Camp Half-Blood is just behind this door. The Titan army may be there already." Percy nodded and pushed Daedalus to the side.

"When we finish with this, you and I will have a nice long chat," Percy told the old demigod. Daedalus sighed and nodded. Percy nodded back and pulled out Isorropia. "Come on. Let's make the Titan's pay for what they did to Luke." Thalia pulled out her spear and shield and Bianca pulled out Soulreaper. Even Daedalus pulled out a rather wicked looking celestial bronze sword. Percy opened the door and they could immediately here the sound of swords clashing. Percy stepped to the side and let Thalia lead them out of the Labyrinth. Percy was momentarily surprised to find that the entrance was in between Zeus' fist, the big stone structure in the middle of the woods. They all saw smoke coming from the camp and ran through the forest as fast as they could.

The first thought that came to Percy's mind was that it looked like the battle that had taken place over a year ago just as he, Thalia, Clarisse, and the hunters were leaving to save Artemis. This time was different. Instead of only a couple of monsters, there seemed to be around a thousand monsters and demigods attacking the camp. The campers only numbered around a hundred and fifty, however, Chiron had expertly militarized the camp. Percy scowled and uncapped Anaklusmos.

They hurried as fast as they could to the cabins. The Titan army had used their speed and surprise attack from the Labyrinth to their advantage. The campers, not knowing where the entrance to the Labyrinth was, were not prepared for such a full scale attack. The sheer number of monsters and demigods attacking them forced them to retreat to the cabins. Percy and the others finally reached the cabin area and paled. A massive army of monsters and demigods surrounded the cabin area where Chiron and the campers were valiantly trying to keep up their defenses. Percy looked at the area and was quite impressed. He didn't know how long they had been in the Labyrinth but it must have been a long time since Chiron had erected a stone wall around the cabins similar to the one around the camp's borders. Apollo campers stood atop the wall firing arrows down at the enemy. They took down several but there were still too many for them. Percy saw vines and trees creep through the Titan army suffocating and attacking several monsters. _Pan,_ he thought. He narrowed his eyes. Even with Pan helping there were too many monsters. Percy closed his eyes.

 _Artemis_ , he called out to the goddess with his mind. He felt her stiffen.

 _Percy? Is that you?_ Percy felt himself smile at hearing her voice. _You idiot! You've been gone for three months!_ Percy's eyes opened in shock.

 _Three months?_ He asked incredulously. He shook his head. _Nevermind, Artemis you need to bring your hunters. Camp is being overrun by monsters. We need help._

 _We will come as soon as we can, but you will pay for leaving us for so long_ , she said. Percy laughed.

 _Just come as soon as possible_. He pulled away from her mind and looked at the others.

"The hunters will be here soon. Daedalus, do you have any plans?" Daedalus looked at the Titan army.

"Yes I do." He pulled out a whistle and blew it. No noise came out but suddenly the shadows formed near him and a giant hellhound leaped out. Percy pointed his sword at it, but Daedalus stood up protectively. "Stop! Don't hurt her. She's mine." Percy lowered his sword.

"Explain," he demanded.

"This is Mrs. O'Leary. She's my hellhound." Bianca smiled at the hellhound. Mrs. O'Leary bounded up to Percy and licked his face. Percy scowled playfully.

"She's sweet, but this isn't the time for your pets, Daedalus." Daedalus shook his head.

"She is fierce in battle. She will help us against the Titans. Look there." He pointed towards the side of the cabins closer to the ocean where the Poseidon cabin was located. "There are fewer monsters there. If we attack that spot and force our way away from the ocean we will be able to take out more monsters and demigods without leaving our backs exposed." Percy nodded.

"Well I can't think of anything better. Alright, we'll go with your plan. Thalia, this is your quest. Lead us into battle." Thalia smiled and took off towards the coast. The Titan army was so focused attacking the camp's defenses that they didn't notice four demigods and a giant hellhound charging towards them. They plowed into the enemy from behind taking them by surprise. Percy was a whirlwind of death. He swung both swords with expertise and precision, leaving a trail of blood and dust in his wake. Mrs. O'Leary ripped through the monsters, sending many of them back towards the woods to retreat. In a few minutes, a quarter of the Titan's army fell due to their surprise. The walls around the cabins had three entrances and Percy and the others forced their way towards one of the doors. The Apollo campers above them called down to Chiron telling the centaur what was going on. The doors opened and Percy sighed in relief. All the remaining campers charged out of the cabin area joining the questers.

The Titan army was not prepared for the sudden insurrection and the campers quickly forced them on the run back towards the woods. Chiron galloped up towards Percy.

"You made it just in time. They overwhelmed us, forcing us to retreat." Percy stabbed a retreating empousai in the back.

"They made it to Daedalus before we could," he told the centaur. Chiron nodded and notched an arrow. He shot the arrow at a harpy. He turned back and looked around.

"Where's Luke?" Percy shook his head sadly.

"He didn't make it. Ethan stabbed him in the back." Chiron nodded sadly but now was not the time for grieving.

"Let's stop the Titans here and now. For Luke," he said. Percy nodded determinedly. Chiron pulled out his horn and blew it. The deep, resounding noise reverberated through the camp. The campers marched towards Chiron and formed a giant phalanx formation. Chiron pulled out his sword and pointed it towards the woods. He growled loudly and galloped towards the retreating army. The campers roared in unison and followed the centaur. Percy and the questers were incredibly impressed by the uniformity. They followed after them.

The Titan army backed circled around Zeus' fist. The campers reached the Titan army and plowed into their ranks. Percy saw Clarisse holding her spear up in the front lines impaling monsters and demigods as she fought. The other campers followed Clarisse and charged headlong at the enemy. They fought hard and the Titan army began to dwindle. Bianca and Thalia joined the campers. Suddenly, the monsters roared and a large swarm of empousai, demigods, cyclops, and Laistrygonian giants rushed out from Zeus' fist. Percy paled. He rushed forward, Daedalus and Mrs. O'Leary by his side. His eyes glowed and time slowed ever so slightly for the enemy giving the small demigod army a slim advantage. A giant cyclops lumbered towards Percy. The amount of power he was using the slow down the enemy was beginning to take its toll on his mortal body.

The cyclops swung a gigantic club at Percy. He managed to roll to the side and stabbed with both swords. His muscles ached and groaned. He hadn't gotten much sleep lately and combined with his drain of power, he was losing energy and fast. The cyclops roared with pain and swatted at Percy. He had little time to react and was flung violently to the side. He landed hard on the ground dropping both swords. He felt a trickle of blood run down his face, and his ears rang loudly. He thought he heard someone call his name, but he could barely concentrate on the cyclops in front of him. The monster lifted its club to crush Percy when a dozen silver arrows hit it in the chest. The monster exploded into golden dust. Percy looked towards his left and could faintly see the outline of several girls in silver clothing joining the fight. His eyesight became blurry and he felt himself slip out of consciousness. The last thing he felt was strong arms carrying him away.

Thalia knew it was too easy. They had managed to push the Titan army back towards the forest easily. They did not give the monsters time to regroup and chased after them. She was extremely impressed with the improvements to camp. She didn't know how long they had been gone, but things had changed a great deal. She was even more impressed when Clarisse called the campers to her and they filed into a large phalanx formation. Thalia and Bianca joined the campers and charged the monsters. The Titan army surrounded Zeus's fist, making one last stand.

The campers killed hundreds of monsters and enemy demigods. It was just too easy. Thalia stabbed a harpy in the side with her spear before spinning around and parrying a demigod's sword. Bianca came up beside her and planted a strong kick to the demigod's head. He crumpled to the ground in a heap. Thalia nodded her thanks to her cousin. Bianca smiled and rushed over to another part of the forest where Nico was fighting a group of empousai. Thalia smiled when she saw the Titan army begin to thin in numbers. She saw Chiron and Percy plow through the enemy covering the ground in blood and dust. Just as the battle seemed to be over she felt the ground tremble. She looked back at Zeus's fist and paled. Swarms of monsters came pouring out of the Labyrinth bolstering the enemy's ranks. Thalia cursed and charged back into battle.

A bright flash of golden light surrounded the enemy and she saw Percy struggling to slow down time. Thalia used the distraction to her advantage and stabbed, lunged, and sung her spear at enemy monsters. The campers fought hard and even with the arrival of new troops, the Titan army was still struggling. Thalia knew that had it not been for Chiron's revolutionary military techniques the campers would have been destroyed. An empousai lunged at Thalia. She sidestepped and hit it hard with her shield. The monster fell to the ground but rose up quickly. Thalia twirled her spear and plunged it deep into the monster's gut as it leaped in the air. Thalia heard a roar of pain and turned in time to see an enormous cyclops swat Percy to the side. Instantly she felt time return to normal. She paled.

"Percy!" she cried out. He lay on the ground not moving. She felt anger bubbling inside of her and she rushed towards her friend. Before she could reach the wretched monster that had hurt him, more monsters and demigods blocked her path. She battled them as quickly as she could but she could not reach Percy. She felt tears in her eyes as she saw the cyclops lift its club up into the air. Before it could kill Percy, silver arrows flew out of nowhere killing it instantly. Thalia breathed out in relief when she saw the hunters arrived. Zoe and Phoebe rushed to her side and helped her take down the enemies in front of her. She saw Artemis lifting Percy's broken body away from the forest presumably to the infirmary.

With her friend safely out of harm's way, Thalia returned her attention to the battle. With the arrival of the hunters, the campers fought with renewed vigor. The sounds from the battle, the roars of the monsters, the shouts from the demigods, and the clashing of metal on metal, reverberated throughout the camp. It was deafening. A Laistrygonian giant charged at Thalia. She knelt down on one knee as if overcome by fatigue. The giant smirked and raised its club to strike the puny demigod down. At the last second, Thalia lunged with her spear shooting electricity at the monster. The spear cackled with lightning with such an intense heat that surrounding monsters were burned to a crisp. The giant stood gaping at the charred hole in its midsection. It stared at Thalia in shock before crumbling to dust. The monsters and demigods around her stared at her in awe. She growled and charged back into the enemy lines.

Despite the military capabilities of the campers and hunters, the Titan army greatly outnumbered them. The battle was not going anywhere near as planned. Many campers had been killed. A loud cry of anguish broke Thalia out of her warmongering trance. She turned and felt her gut fall. Nico stood over the body of his dead sister. Thalia forced her way towards the young son of Hades. She hacked at anyone that dared cross her path. She finally reached her little cousin and dropped to her knees beside him. Bianca was still breathing, she noticed, but only barely. Blood poured freely from a large wound in her side. Her skin was paler than usual and her breathing was strained. Nico cried loudly throwing his body over his sister. The campers fought their way around them giving them protection. Thalia put a calming hand on Nico's shoulder.

"H-how?" she managed to ask. Her voice was overcome with emotion. Bianca smiled up at her but Thalia could tell it was hurting her to do so.

"She was protecting me," said Nico. He brushed hair out of his sister's face. "I would've died but she had to be stupid and dove in front of a spear." Thalia smiled sadly at Bianca.

"You were like a sister to me, B," she said. Bianca opened her mouth to say something, but the words wouldn't come out. Thalia stopped her and held her hand. "Shh, it's ok. We'll avenge you." Bianca smiled kindly and closed her eyes. Nico wailed but knew that there was nothing he could do. Bianca took one last breath and died in the arms of her brother. Nico roared with anger. Thalia eyed him warily. Nico grabbed Soulreaper from where it had fallen and lifted it up into the sky. Thalia paled when she saw his eyes. Instead of their usual brown, they had gone pitch black. The sky turned dark but the sword glowed brightly. Nico stabbed the ground and made a large fissure. Thalia jumped away in fright when a swarm of skeleton warriors emerged from the ground.

"I'm the Prince of the Underworld," bellowed Nico, his eyes cold with rage. "Avenge Bianca. Kill them all!" The skeleton warriors turned and charged the Titan army. Thalia smirked at her cousin and lifted her spear up.

"For Bianca! For Luke!" The campers cried out in unison and charged the Titan army. This time, they held nothing back. They fought with wild abandon. They fought to kill, they fought to avenge, they fought to win. It took little time and soon the enemy lay in complete ruins. No more monsters climbed out of the Labyrinth. The enemy lay dead and broken. Pan emerged from the forest along with several nymphs and satyrs. The ancient laws prevented him from taking part in the battle, but he was more than welcome to help in the burial. They removed the dead enemy demigods and took them into the forest where they would be buried separately. The Apollo campers took back their fallen campers to the infirmary where they would prepare them for burial.

Thalia put her spear and shield away and wiped the grim off her face. She looked over to where Nico was standing. He had sent the dead warriors back to the Underworld, and now he was shaking with grief. Thalia walked over to him and pulled him into a hug. He melted into her embrace, crying openly. Bianca hadn't been the only camper to die. Charles Beckendorf, Drew Tanaka, and Miranda Gardiner were the most notable deaths. Silena Beauregard was completely distraught over Charlie's death. Clarisse walked with her back towards the cabins. Thalia looked around and felt a tear coming to her eyes. If only they had succeeded in their quest earlier, they would never have had to face this battle. These deaths had been her fault. She heard footsteps from beside her and whirled around, releasing Nico. Her eyes glowed with electricity. Daedalus stood beside her hesitantly.

"I know that it is my fault that this has happened." Thalia narrowed her eyes at him. "But let me make it right. If I die then the Labyrinth will collapse." Thalia's eyes widened.

"How is that possible?" Daedalus shrugged.

"It is tied to my life force. As long as I'm alive, the Labyrinth will survive." Thalia nodded.

"So you need me to kill you?" Daedalus dropped his head.

"I have done much harm in this life. It is time that I go on towards the next great adventure. I know Gabriel is beyond angry with me that I have eluded death for so long. He's right. There's a time to live and a time to die. And now it is also time for me to pay for my crimes." Thalia nodded and placed a hand on his shoulder. Daedalus looked up and reached into a bag he carried on his side. He took out a computer.

"Give this to the Athena cabin. They'll be able to enjoy the little good I have done in this life." Thalia took the laptop and nodded to him. Daedalus sighed and looked into her eyes. Thalia pulled out her spear and without another word, she plunged the head into Daedalus' chest. She saw light flicker behind his eyes before it died down. His body shook and she heard electricity popping. _He really was an automaton_ , she thought. The ground around them shook with tremendous force for several moments before all grew peaceful once more. Daedalus collapsed to the ground only to fall through a crack. Thalia turned and saw Nico still standing beside her.

"I sent him straight to my father. He will judge him fairly. He deserves some good after all this." Thalia nodded and put an arm around him. Together they made their way back to the cabins where they could finally get some rest.

[LINEBREAK]

Annabeth grimaced as she tried to stand. The wound in her stomach was still painful. It took some time but the wound had finally closed enough for her to stand up. She looked around the small workshop. The campers had left the room with Daedalus. Ethan had fled and she had no idea where he had gone off to. She didn't care. She had joined her master and betrayed Olympus because she had been blinded by her hubris. Being defeated once more by Percy and the campers had made her realize just how wrong she had been. To make things worse, the one person she had ever loved had died because of her.

She tried to find Luke's body but couldn't. She figured that the daughter of Hades must have sent him to her father. She held a hand to her chest and gently walked over to Daedalus' workbench. She found multiple blueprints and computers. She smirked. The nasty feeling of pride reemerged deep within her. She looked over the plans and cackled with glee.

"I'll be the greatest this world has ever seen!" She gathered the computers together and put them in a bag she found on the ground. She made her way to the exit she had seen Ethan go through when everything went wrong. The computers that she had left behind came to life and began flashing red. The lights in the workshop died out and only the flashing red light remained. The doors locked and Annabeth pulled and pushed with all her might to no avail. She looked around frantically. She had to find a way out. Suddenly the walls began to shake. Bits of the ceiling began to fall around her. Her eyes widened in fear. She looked up in time to see a rather large portion of the ceiling collapse above her. She managed to bring her arms over her head before she was crushed. In few moments the Labyrinth collapsed upon itself killing the child of Athena.

[LINEBREAK]

Ethan growled in anger. He emerged out of the Labyrinth holding Ariadne's string. He was by the coast. He signaled the ship that was waiting for him. _She betrayed me!_ He thought angrily. His body shook with malice. She who had been his link to the mortal world betrayed him. His eyes flashed golden for a moment.

 _She will pay for this in time,_ came the voice of his master. Ethan shook his head.

"She was my link to the mortal world! Have I lost the curse of Achilles?"

 _No. You are mine now. Have no fear. You are bound to me from now on._ Ethan shivered with fear but nodded.

"Yes, master."

 **A/N: I'm back guys. I know this was a pretty short chapter especially since I've been gone for a week but it's been a long one. I had lots of papers due and didn't have much time for writing. I hope you all enjoyed this chapter. The main story will pick back up soon.**

 **Now I have three things I want to say.**

 **First, I was pretty disappointed to get only a few reviews the last couple of chapters. These reviews are my motivation and without them I don't really feel the urge to write. So please, keep reviewing and let me know what you guys think and what you guys want to see.**

 **Second, after taking a week off from this story I have realized that in order to keep up my health (I don't sleep very well) I need to take longer breaks from writing since I spend most of my time doing this. So I have decided to take a week in between each chapter, though I promise that every now and then I'll release multiple chapters. Releasing one a day was just too draining for me.**

 **And finally third, I have so many stories circulating through my mind right now and I don't want to forget any of them. I will be posting introductory chapters to one story that has been on my mind for years soon. I will still be continuing this story weekly. I will just be releasing one chapter per story per week. Now the next story, just to warn you guys, will be a Harry Potter story so if that's not your thing you don't have to read it. I do have ideas for future Percy Jackson stories but I'll wait to finish this one. Thanks for taking time to read this really long author's note. Thank you all for the favorites and follows they mean a lot to me. Until next time!**


	19. Chapter 19

" _A half-blood of the eldest god,_

 _Shall reach sixteen in total awe,_

 _And see the world in endless sleep,_

 _The hero's soul, blessed blade shall reap,_

 _A single choice shall end his days,_

 _Olympus to preserve or raze."_

Percy woke up with a loud groan. Every joint in his body spasmed with pain. He tried to open his eyes but the pain was too unbearable. He fell back against a soft pillow and felt a cool, wet towel get put on his forehead. He forced his eyes to open. His eyesight was blurry but he saw a flash of silver before he had to close his eyes once more.

"Percy."

He heard a whisper beside him and opened his eyes once more. This time he could see clearly. Artemis sat by his side, her eyes and nose red from her obvious tears.

"Artemis," he whispered out.

She put a finger to his lips. "Shh, my love," she whispered back. "I just had to make sure you were alright."

Percy groaned and forced himself to sit up. He looked around at his surroundings. "Infirmary again?" he asked.

Artemis nodded and put a hand on his cheek.

"You've been asleep for several hours."

Percy paled. He tried to get out of bed but Artemis stopped him. Before he could say anything she went to the door and opened it. Percy groaned when the hunters rushed into the room followed by Thalia. When Zoe and Phoebe reached his side, they both punched him hard on the shoulder. He grimaced in pain.

"What was that for?" he hissed. Instead of responding they just smiled. He looked at all of the hunters. "How long has it been since we've seen each other?"

Artemis glared at him. "A year, Percy. You've been gone for an entire fucking year," she said.

"Are you kidding?" he asked, eyes wide. The girls shook their heads. "I'm so sorry! I didn't know!"

Artemis sighed and sat on the bed next to him. She pulled him into a hug.

"I know. We were just worried."

Zoe coughed loudly. "Speak for yourself, milady. You were the one that was worried. We knew Percy here wouldn't risk his life not coming back." She grinned at Percy who rolled his eyes but smiled. Artemis laughed and nodded.

"I promised I would come back didn't I? Well here I am!" Percy looked behind the hunters to where Thalia stood awkwardly. Percy frowned. "Thals, you ok?"

The hunters moved to the side so Thalia could see her friend. She shook her head and sat down on the other side of Percy. He tried to put an arm around her but was met with a jolt of electricity.

"Ow!" he cried out clutching his side. "What was that for?"

Thalia glared at him.

"I thought you died, Percy!"

He looked at her confused.

"I'm right here, Thals." He paused looking at her. "I've almost died many times. What makes this time so different?"

Thalia broke down in tears and put her head on his shoulder. Artemis smiled sadly at the girl and motioned for the hunters to leave. When all the others had left, Thalia lifted her head. Her eyes were red from her tears.

"Bianca died, Percy," she whispered. Percy froze, his eyes widening in shock.

"H-how?" he asked. Thalia shook her head.

"She was killed during the battle."

Percy felt his own tears coming to his eyes. It took a few moments for them to calm down, but finally they did.

"Thalia, I need to ask you something."

Thalia shook her head. "I accept Perce."

Percy frowned.

"You don't even know what I was going to ask."

"Actually she does," said Artemis. "I already asked her."

Percy's eyes in surprise. He turned back to Thalia and jumped off the bed, ignoring his pain. He pulled Thalia off the bed and began dancing and jumping causing the two girls to laugh. He stopped, breathless, and pulled Thalia into a hug.

"I'm so happy, Thals!"

Thalia smiled and hugged him back before she stood back and frowned. Percy cocked his head. "What's wrong?"

"Does this mean I have to listen to you now?" she asked with a playful look of mock disgust. Artemis laughed at Percy's disgruntled look.

"Of course not," she said. "He's merely here for his looks. I'm the one that's in charge."

Percy scowled before he smirked. "So you admit I have good looks?"

Artemis snorted. "Don't let it get to your head, oh god of humility."

"So what's the plan? Do we know what the Titan's are up to?" asked Percy bringing them to the important matter at hand. Artemis frowned.

"Let's head over to the Big House," she said. Percy nodded and put on his watch. He followed the two girls out of the infirmary. Outside he found that the battle had taken a massive toll on the camp. Pan and the satyrs and nymphs were working tirelessly with the Hephaestus cabin fixing all of the damage. Chiron had put out more patrols, and guards stood at every entrance to the camp. The guards bowed to Artemis and Percy as they past while keeping their eyes fixated in front of them. Percy was incredibly impressed.

The Big House was hardly affected by the battle and several guards stood around it. The three walked inside and found the camp counselors as well as Chiron sitting at a newly fitted oak table. Maps and diagrams were strewn across the table, with markings for possible Titan locations. Chiron noticed them walk in waved in greeting. The counselors immediately stood and bowed. Percy scowled at them.

"Quit your bowing. I'm not your master," he said. He pulled out three chairs for them to sit on. Once they had taken their seats, the other demigods sat as well. "Tell me what's going on."

Chiron rolled in his wheel chair over to one of the maps. It showed the entire eastern half of the United States.

"We believe that the Titans are holed up here," he said pointing up in the Great Lakes area. "We've sent spies into their camp, and they've reported that the Titans are preparing for something huge. They haven't been able to find out what exactly."

Percy nodded.

"We also have reason to believe that Ethan Nakamura survived the Labyrinth," said Malcolm. "Annabeth is believed to be K.I.A."

Percy growled. Artemis grabbed his hand to calm him. He sent her a thankful smile.

"What all has happened since the battle?" he asked.

"We're not sure. It's only been a few hours, and our spies have not reported back. Unfortunately, two of them were killed by our forces during the battle." Chiron looked at Percy. "We need more man power. We cannot hope to fight against the Titans by ourselves. We took too many loses."

"How many did we lose?" The room grew incredibly somber.

"Over half," said Chiron softly. "Nearly the entire Aphrodite cabin was killed." Selina began weeping loudly. Clarisse patted the girls back trying in vain to calm her.

" _Di Immortales_ ," cursed Percy. "Where can we get more demigods?" Suddenly his eyes flashed and he clutched his head in pain. Artemis leaped from her chair and cupped his cheeks.

"Percy!" she cried out. "Are you okay?" The other campers jumped to their feet, ready to help if needed. Percy moaned but finally opened his eyes.

"Sorry about that," he told everyone. "I'm alright. Just getting back some more memories is all." He looked at Chiron and Artemis. "We need to have a private meeting."

Chiron nodded and motioned for everyone to leave. Thalia looked to Artemis for permission.

"Go, find the hunters. Get them ready to leave camp." Thalia nodded and left the Big House. With everyone gone Percy grabbed one of the maps of the entire country and put it in front of Chiron. Artemis stayed in her seat.

"Look right here," he said pointing just below San Francisco Bay in California. Chiron narrowed his eyes.

"Why are you showing me California?" he asked.

"Do you remember Rome, Chiron?" The centaur's eyes widened in surprise.

"I swore on the River Styx never to speak of it again," he said. Percy nodded.

"You don't need to. But that is the only place we will be able to find more demigods."

Chiron looked over at Artemis who nodded. He sighed.

"How will we combine our forces? The Romans don't exactly trust us."

Percy smirked.

"Leave it to me and Arty over here," he said. Artemis scowled at the nickname. "We'll make sure the Romans behave themselves."

Chiron nodded and smiled, shaking his head.

"When will you leave?"

Percy looked to Artemis who shrugged.

"Today," he said finally. "I will go with the hunters to California. I'll Iris message you if and when we succeed."

Chiron nodded.

"Good luck, Gabriel." With that, Artemis and Percy left the Big House. It took them a moment to navigate through the maze of barricades the camp had constructed. Finally, they arrived at the arena where the hunters stood talking amongst themselves. When they noticed Percy and Artemis they all stopped and began smirking at Percy.

"What?" asked Percy, completely unnerved. Their smirks grew more profound.

"Oh nothing," said Rachel. "We just have our ways of making sure you know not to leave again."

Percy paled and began walking backwards slowly. He lifted his hands up in protest.

"Now, now let's be reasonable," he said. "No one needs to be hurt." Artemis snorted and grabbed him by his shirt collar.

"Oh don't be such a baby," she said with a hint of amusement. "They're just going to have some fun." Percy yanked free and shook his head adamantly.

"No! Last time they 'had some fun' I ended up covered in bruises and laying in a lake! I'm not doing that again!" Everyone laughed at his plight.

"Fine," said Artemis. "But we won't make things easy for you."

"Like you ever did," grumbled Percy under his breath.

"What was that?" asked Artemis sweetly. Percy just shook his head. Artemis smirked triumphantly and turned to the hunters. "Alright girls get your things together. We have a big journey to make." The girls looked confused.

"Aren't we staying here to help the camp?" asked Atalanta. Percy shook his head.

"The campers lost over half of its forces. There is no way we can defend Olympus by ourselves. We need more troops," he said. The girls cocked their heads at him. "We need to go to San Francisco again."

Phoebe, Zoe, and Atalanta's eyes widened in shock. The others just looked even more confused.

"Why are we going to California?" asked Rachel. Percy smiled fondly. She had obviously found her place among the hunters while he was gone.

"I'll explain everything after we leave and make camp later tonight," he told her. The hunters did not seem happy at not being let in on what was happening, but they listened and quickly got their things together. With military precision they had their bags and tents packed and ready to go. They made their way out of camp.

They made their way across New York into Pennsylvania where Artemis conjured up a charter bus for them to ride comfortably. Zoe sat next to Artemis in the passenger's seat so they could go over the plans. Percy sat in the back with the rest of the girls.

"Why are we going to California, Perce?" asked the hunters. He sat himself down in one of the seats and leaned the chair back. He really hadn't had a chance to rest since he had left for the Labyrinth apparently a year ago. _Geez,_ he thought. _That makes me fifteen!_ Suddenly thoughts of the prophecy from his dreams came to his mind. He opened his eyes and looked at the hunters who were staring at him intently.

"Have any of you ever wondered why it was the Greek gods that survived through history? Even though Rome defeated Greece and took over their pantheon?" he asked them. They looked at each other confused. Obviously none of them had ever thought of that. "Exactly. Well let me let you girls in on a little secret." He leaned forward with a smile. "The Greek gods aren't alone. They have Roman aspects too."

The hunters gasped and looked to the front where Artemis was riding with Zoe. Percy nodded.

"She is also Lady Diana. The reason the gods remain in their Greek forms so often is because they are more compassionate as Greeks."

The hunters stared at him in wonder.

"What about you? Do you have a Roman aspect?" asked one of the hunters. Percy shook his head.

"I left Olympus and went on my own before Rome took over. I was never brought into their pantheon. I doubt any of them truly know who I am," he said. He didn't care however; he still had played a major role in Rome's founding… as well as in their taking over of Greece. All good things must come to an end after all. The hunters nodded.

"So do the Roman gods have demigods as well? Is that where we're going?" asked Rachel. Percy nodded, smiling at her induction.

"Yep," he said. "We are headed for Camp Jupiter. I'll warn you girls, though. The Romans do not like Greeks in the least. The last time Romans and Greeks met each other the United States was torn in Civil War." The hunters's eyes widened in shock but they nodded.

"So who do we tell them we are?" asked another hunter. Percy nodded.

"Good question. You are all the hunters of Diana. She is good friends with the camp director as am I. She will make sure that the Romans at least hear us out."

"So what's the plan, Perce?" asked Phoebe. Percy shook his head.

"I'll let you girls know later when we get closer. For now just get some rest."

[LINEBREAK]

Kronos growled and paced the room. He hated this body. Hated his weakness. Hated those blasted campers. Hated _him._ Everything had been going perfect. Years of planning and gathering up enough strength to transfer his being into another body had failed when _he_ had showed up. He didn't even have his familiar scythe with him. He had to rely on the blasted demigods celestial bronze sword.

A low humming noise came from the back of the room. He whirled around and paled. He bowed as low as he could in the new body. It was going to take some getting used to.

"Have you done as I asked?" came a raspy voice. Kronos nodded but dared not look up.

"Yes, you're worship. But the campers were ready. They pushed our forces back and managed to destroy the Labyrinth. We lost nearly all of our attacking troops." The air grew painfully cold. Kronos suddenly felt empathy for what Ethan must have endured in his presence.

"You failed me then?" Kronos rose to his full height, his eyes burning golden with anger.

"I could not interfere. I was not at my full strength. I had to make it out of the Labyrinth before it collapsed," he said. Suddenly he felt the room begin to shake. The ground shifted beneath him and he stumbled to his knees.

"You had one responsibility, Kronos. I will not hesitate in finding another to take your place." Kronos glared at the voice's origin.

"I'll finish my job. I'll make sure that the campers are weak. You'll have your revenge. Just make sure you keep your end of the bargain."

"Do not test me, Titan. Make sure you do not fall to that wretched… thing."

Kronos nodded. "You have my word." With that the room returned to normal. Kronos let out a loud sigh before glaring once more and returning to his duties. He had a certain son of his to disembowel.

[LINEBREAK]

The hunters rode for days on the bus. Percy began banging his head against the window trying to drown out the sound of teenage girls singing along to the radio. Sadly, it didn't help. He groaned.

"What's wrong, Golden Boy?" asked Thalia plopping into the seat next to him. He glared at her.

"I'm not sure how much more of this I can take," he hissed. He hadn't slept in three days. "I swear if I hear one more song…" suddenly the girls began singing loudly again. He yelled into the seat in front of him. Thalia smirked.

"Oh get over yourself," she said. He twisted his head to glare at her. She laughed and went back to her original seat. Percy looked out the window and saw that they were reaching Colorado Springs. _Damn Artemis drives fast_ , he thought to himself. The mountains came quickly into view and soon they were driving at an incredibly high altitude. Percy looked down and paled.

"Uh, Artemis! Shouldn't you take it easy up here?" he asked worried. Artemis just laughed.

"Just sit back and relax, we'll be fine."

That was just what he wasn't going to do. Percy clutched the seat in front of him for dear life. After several minutes and still nothing bad happening, he finally relaxed his grip. It turned out to be a terrible mistake. He looked out the opposite window and paled. A giant stone was hurdling down the mountain towards them.

"Artemis! Watch out!" he cried out but it was too late. The stone hit the bus flinging it off the cliff. Percy had no time to react and the bus crashed into a ravine. The hunters were flung from their seats throughout the bus. Percy crashed through the window of the bus into the trees. The bus rolled several feet before finally coming to a stop. Percy pulled himself up to his feet, his leather jacket protecting his upper body, but his right leg had a nasty gash running down his calf. Blood poured freely from it but he ignored the pain. He limped towards the bus and looked in the windows. Zoe and Artemis were both unconscious with nasty cuts on their faces. Percy pulled out Isorropia and slashed the windshield. The glass shattered on impact and he covered his face from the shards. He put his sword away and reached into the bus. He pulled Zoe free and set her down on the grass away from the wreckage. He did the same for Artemis and the other girls. It took him a long time, and cost him a lot of blood, but he finally managed. He fell to his knees in pain and grasped wildly at his jacket pocket. He pulled out an ambrosia square and stuck it in his mouth, swallowing it whole.

His leg sealed up instantly making him cry out in pain. He panted heavily before getting to his feet once more. He climbed into the wrecked bus and found the medical bag. He pulled out a jug of nectar and proceeded to pour some down each of the hunters' throats. He paused when he reached Rachel, but then decided that Artemis's blessing should give her the ability to consume godly food.

Artemis was the first to regain consciousness. She looked around wildly before her eyes settled on Percy. She leapt to her feet and rushed towards him pulling him into a strong embrace. Percy sighed with relief and returned the hug.

"What happened?" she asked him, pulling away.

"We got hit by a stone I think," he said. He looked at the bus. "It's a miracle that no one was killed."

She looked at the bus in complete shock. "How could this have happened?" she asked.

"I think someone had a hand in that," he said. He squinted trying to see up the mountain. "But we can't wait much longer. We need to get to San Francisco and quick." Artemis nodded.

"We need to rest tonight though. Go get some wood for a fire while I get the camp set up."

Percy nodded and gave her a quick kiss. "I'm glad you're alright," he said. Artemis blushed bright red.

"I'm glad you're alright too," she said back. "Now go! Get!" She laughed as Percy pouted but did as she asked.

He came back several minutes later with an armful of firewood. Artemis had already set up the entire camp and put the girls in front of a makeshift fire pit. Percy placed some wood into the pit and quickly got to work starting the fire. In no time at all he had a blaze going. The girls continued to sleep while Artemis sat down by Percy.

"I missed you," she whispered. "It hurt having you gone for so long."

Percy frowned and pulled her close.

"I missed you too. But I'm back now." Artemis smiled and snuggled into his chest. Percy smiled back at her and kissed the top of her head. Suddenly a thought popped into his mind. "There's something I need to tell you," he said quietly. Artemis pulled back and looked at him expectantly.

"What's wrong, Percy?"

Percy sighed and shook his head solemnly.

"I think I found the next prophecy. It's been playing over and over in my dreams."

Artemis frowned. "What is it?" she asked.

" _A half-blood of the eldest god,_

 _Shall reach sixteen in total awe,_

 _And see the world in endless sleep,_

 _The hero's soul, blessed blade shall reap,_

 _A single choice shall end his days,_

 _Olympus to preserve or raze."_

 _ **A/N: I'm back! Sorry it took so long. It's been a hectic week so I didn't have much time to write. Hope you all enjoyed this chapter. I know it seems a bit rushed but everything will be made clear soon. Thanks for reading, favoriting, following, and reviewing! Special thanks to PercyJackson202 for being the 100**_ _ **th**_ _ **person to favorite this story! You guys are the best!**_


	20. Chapter 20

**Percy sighed and shook his head solemnly.**

 **"I think I found the next prophecy. It's been playing over and over in my dreams."**

 **Artemis frowned. "What is it?" she asked.**

 **"** _ **A half-blood of the eldest god,**_

 _ **Shall reach sixteen in total awe,**_

 _ **And see the world in endless sleep,**_

 _ **The hero's soul, blessed blade shall reap,**_

 _ **A single choice shall end his days,**_

 _ **Olympus to preserve or raze."**_

Artemis paled but refrained from saying a word. The moon seemed to dim as the goddess grew pensive. The trees cracked and groaned in the breeze. The fire cackled, and the crickets chirped a melancholy tune in the bushes. The hunters remained asleep by the fire.

"What are you thinking?" asked Percy, quietly. Artemis shook her head as if to clear her mind.

"It seems as though the prophecy was tailor-made just for you. A half-blood of the eldest god. That can only be you, Gabriel." She paused. "It's the next part that worries me. The hero's soul, blessed blade shall reap, a single choice shall end his days, Olympus to preserve or raze."

"We have a year until then, Artemis," said Percy. "Let's not worry about that now. We can think about it more after we finish with our task." Artemis nodded, albeit reluctantly.

"What are your plans, then, when we get to Camp Jupiter?"

Percy stared into the fire. "I will have to go in alone. I have watched the Romans over time and they are very wary of the hunters. It would not be a good thing to have all of us waltz in there, ordering all of them to New York."

"You're saying I should be scared of demigods?" hissed out Artemis. Percy shook his head.

"No. I'm saying that the Romans respect you, but their allegiance is with their senate and their people. If their augur does not tell them they can help, they will not. Even if the augur gives the green light, so to speak, they still require a vote in the senate."

Artemis nodded but was irked that the Romans didn't seem to respect the Olympian's authority.

"How do you know so much about the Romans?" she asked him. Percy smirked.

"Because," he said. "I was the one that led them into battle to conquer Greece."

[TIMEBREAK]

Corinth 146 B.C.E.

Steel clang against steel. Sparks flew as the cries of man rang out. The city of Corinth was in ruins. The Archaean League in Greece had openly rebelled against the Roman Republic. Gabriel grimaced as he plunged Isorropia into the heart of a Greek warrior. It killed him to have to fight his old people, but the balance of the world came before his feelings of nostalgia. In order to maintain the prosperity and longevity of the world, Rome had to defeat Greece.

"Consul Mummius," called out a centurion. Gabriel pulled back from the line and turned.

"Centurion, report." The soldier bowed respectfully before standing up straight. The other legionnaires formed rank around their commanders to protect them from the Archaean forces.

"Our spies claim that the Archaean League has reinforcements on the way." Gabriel frowned.

"How many?"

"10,000 infantry and 400 cavalry, milord."

"Send a messenger to Scarpheia. Have the rest of our forces join us here by tomorrow afternoon." Gabriel dismissed the centurion who immediately rushed to find a runner. He looked up at the sky. The sun was beginning to set. When darkness came they would be forced to retreat and make camp outside of the city.

The battle waged on for another hour before the sky grew too dark to see.

"Sound the horn," said Gabriel to a centurion. The soldier pulled out a conch and blew into it. The deep noise tore through the city. The Roman forces pulled back from Corinth. They quickly made camp outside of the city. Gabriel placed a hundred men on guard around the camp as well as two archers on top of a hill to serve as over watch.

"Report," he told a centurion.

"We lost 500 men and 200 horses."

Gabriel grunted. "And the Archaeans?"

"Scouts believe they lost at least half of their forces."

Gabriel nodded and dismissed the centurion. After making sure that the guards knew their duties, Gabriel retreated to his tent. He pulled off his armor placed it beside his makeshift bed. His sword lay on the ground in easy reach. He lay down on the mat and closed his eyes.

The night was cool. The sky was dark from the new moon. The wind blew loudly through Corinth. A lone figure crept through the city, around the Roman encampment. He moved silently up the hill. The two Roman archers sat talking quietly on two large stones. Their bows were resting on the ground by their feet, and their quivers lay casually beside them. A small fire, hidden behind a stone so as to not reveal their position, gave them some light and warmth. The man crouched low and stalked towards them. He pulled out a dagger from his belt, and held it firmly in his hand.

"… I've never seen a man like him before," said one of the archers. "He fights like a demon."

"Have you seen his eyes? It's as if they glow gold…" said the other. The man stopped. Golden eyes? He thought to himself. Impossible. He shrugged off his confusion and crept closer.

"They say he's a god," said the first archer. This stopped the would-be killer cold.

"I've heard that too," said the second. "It makes sense. I've never seen anybody land a blow on him. His sword is nothing like I've ever seen before. It feels like it pulses with power."

The man took a step back and slipped slightly. He bit back a curse.

"What was that?" asked the first archer. He grabbed his bow and notched an arrow pointing it into the darkness. "Who's out there?"

"Give it a rest, Claudius. It was just the wind," said the second archer. Claudius kept the arrow notched.

"I don't think so, Drusus. It didn't sound like the wind."

The man looked around wildly. The shadows were keeping him hidden, but he was forced to remain still. Drusus grabbed a torch from the ground and held it to the fire. Once it was lit he walked over to Claudius. He held the torch high. The light just came up to the man's feet.

"See?" said Drusus. "Nothing." Claudius kept staring into the darkness for another minute before he joined Drusus back at the fire. The man let out a sigh of relief. He carefully crept closer. Time was running out. He clutched the dagger. The archers were just sitting down when he sprang into action. He plunged the dagger into Drusus' back, killing him instantly. Claudius jumped in surprise which the assassin took advantage of. He kicked hard at the archer sending him over the side of the hill. Claudius landed on his neck, snapping it quickly before he could cry out. The man yanked his dagger out of Drusus' back and wiped it clean on the dead man's tunic. He grabbed the torch that was still alit and held it up in the air, waving it around in an intricate pattern. Not long after, he saw a torch mimic him by the Roman encampment. The message was received and was being passed along.

Soon, he heard the clattering of war horses riding down the hill from Corinth. Fires lit up within the Roman encampment, but they were too late. The Archaean cavalry was upon them in minutes. The man grabbed a bow and a quiver from the ground and slid down the hill. He rushed into the encampment and began firing arrows at Roman legionnaires. The Archaeans had the advantage of surprise, but the Romans were quick. They recovered from their shock and rushed to fight the Greeks. The entire left side of the encampment was up in flames and men, Roman and Archaean alike, lay dead and wounded. The assassin stalked through the encampment avoiding Roman troops. He came to the center of tents and found one much larger than the rest. A Roman soldier in praetor armor rushed out with a golden sword. His armor was different, however, than what the assassin was used to. It still had the typical plumes on his helm, but the actual armor itself seemed to be a mix of Roman and Greek. The sword, too, was very different. It was a longsword, at least two feet longer than the Roman gladius, and a foot longer than the Greek sword. What made it even more unique, was that it was gold.

"This must be the so-called god," murmured the assassin. He notched an arrow and trained it on the praetor's back. The gods would be pleased with him for killing a blasphemous heretic. He fired the arrow. It traveled through the air cleanly, like a hot knife through butter. Suddenly, the praetor was gone. "Fucking hell?" asked the man incredulously. Before he could look around, he felt a sharp pain through his body. He looked down and saw a golden tip protruding from his chest. The sword was yanked out of his body and the assassin collapsed to the ground. The praetor stood above him, his eyes swirling pools of gold. The assassin's eyes widened, but the praetor plunged his sword once more into his stomach, killing him.

The battle was over soon. The Romans had recovered much too quickly for the Archaeans. The Greeks had been pushed back to Corinth where the Romans surrounded them. Two days later the battle of Corinth was over. The Archaean reinforcements had been killed by the Roman reinforcements which had attacked the Greeks' flanks. Lucius Mummius Achaicus was hailed a hero in Rome. The Roman Republic had won complete dominance over Greece. Lucius mysteriously disappeared some time later. In reality he had never left. He had simply taken on a new identity.

[TIMEBREAK]

Colorado Present

Artemis stared at Percy in awe.

"You really were the one that defeated Greece?" she asked. Percy nodded.

"It was necessary. Greece had become too powerful, the Olympians too arrogant. Rome needed to conquer them."

Artemis nodded before shaking her head.

"And all this time we've still been wondering about who the mysterious golden-eyed Roman praetor was."

Percy flashed her a toothy grin before he heard a loud groan. He looked over at the fire and saw Phoebe and the hunters slowly waking up. Percy and Artemis quickly rushed over to them.

"Take it easy, Phoebs," said Percy. He gently pushed her back down on the ground when she tried to sit up.

"W-what happened?" she asked groggily. Percy looked at the others. They weren't faring much better. All had some cuts and scrapes, but thankfully, no serious injuries.

"Got hit by a large stone. Bus fell over the side of the cliff. Thankfully, no one was seriously hurt," he said. He obviously 'forgot' to mention that his leg had been pierced. There was no need to worry everyone. Zoe glared at the cliff above them.

"Do you think someone caused that stone to hit us?" she asked. Percy stared up at the cliff. He hadn't thought about that.

"Actually," he said slowly. "You may be right. We'll need to keep watch from now on."

They girls were eventually forced to go back to sleep and get some rest. Zoe and Phoebe tried valiantly to stay awake before Artemis knocked them out. It was still several hours until dawn. Percy stoked the fire till it was burning brightly.

"Get some sleep, Percy," said Artemis. "I don't need sleep. I'll keep watch." Percy nodded at her thankfully. His mortal body still needed to sleep. He crawled into a sleeping bag beside the fire and fell asleep.

The next morning Percy woke up to see the girls all sitting around the fire eating some meat. Artemis was nowhere to be seen. He got up and sat next to Rachel and Atalanta. He grabbed himself a plate and began to eat.

"Where's Artemis?" he asked in between bites. Atalanta rolled her eyes at his lack of manners.

"She went to scout the area to make sure we aren't being followed and see if she could find something to drive to California in," she said. Percy nodded. He finished eating and got up.

"What's the plan when we get to California, Percy?" asked one of the hunters. The rest voiced their agreement.

"I will be going in alone. You all will wait with Artemis outside the camp."

The hunters began shouting their disapproval.

"You think we're going to let you go in there alone?" asked Phoebe incredulously.

Percy said, "yes. The Romans are nothing like the Greeks. The Olympians do not hold as much sway over them. They are very wary of Diana and her hunters. Only I can go in there. Trust me. I've spent time in Rome. I know how it works." Zoe glared at him. Percy sighed and recanted everything he had told Artemis earlier… except for his past life as Lucius Mummius.

"Fine," said Thalia. "We'll let you go in, but you'd better come out alive." The others nodded firmly. Percy just smiled.

"I wouldn't dare leave you all alone again. The last two times were painful enough."

The hunters smiled predatorily at him, but before anybody could say anything, Artemis walked back in.

"We need to go," she said quickly and firmly. The hunters knew that tone and immediately rushed to get their things together. Percy had, had the wisdom to put their bags together from the bus wreck. They were packed and ready in less than five minutes with the fire just a single burning coal.

"What did you see, Artemis?" asked Percy. She turned around and stared up the cliff.

"I found tracks. I believe that we are being tracked by two different people."

Percy raised an eyebrow. "Two?" he asked.

"One set I found only around a cluster of stones. Someone tried to kill us. I'm sure of it," she explained.

"And the other?"

"Someone has been following us. It's a different track. I think it might be a hellhound."

Percy's eyes widened. He had a feeling he knew who it was.

"Did you by chance come across a means of transportation?" he asked her. Artemis gave him a look and snapped her fingers. A new bus appeared, shiny and new. Percy rolled his eyes but turned to the hunters.

"Alright, load up. We need to get to California by tonight."

The hunters hurried and got into the bus. Artemis climbed in but Percy stopped at the door.

"Percy," she said. It was a question.

"Give me a second. I think I know who's been following us."

Artemis glared at him but he didn't notice. He walked towards the end of the bus and stared into the trees. The sun still hadn't come up high enough and the shadows were deep and profound. Percy's eyes glowed and he slowed time down enough so he could see clearer. The wind was slowly billowing through the trees and grasses. The shadows moved with the trees. All, that is, except for one. Percy sped time back to normal and walked up to the shadow.

"Nico? What are you doing?" he asked. Silence. Percy began tapping his foot impatiently when he heard a quiet voice.

"Hey Percy," came a whisper. From out of the shadow stepped Nico DiAngelo.

"Nico. Answer the question. I'm not fooling around," he said. He glared at the boy.

"I need to come with you, Percy. You need my help."

Percy stared at Nico. "Why?" he asked. It wasn't meant to be harsh but it must of come out that way because Nico flinched.

"Because I've been to Camp Jupiter," he said, finally looking back up at Percy. "My father placed me as his ambassador to camp."

Percy's eyes widened. "So you can actually help me get into the camp?"

Nico nodded.

"Alright. You can come," Percy said. "But you listen to me. You can't ride with us. Meet me right outside the camp tonight. We'll figure out how to get in when we get there." Nico's face brightened immensely.

"Th-thank you, Percy!"

Percy placed a hand on the small kid to keep him from bouncing.

"Don't make me regret this, Nico."

Nico didn't say anything. He jumped back into the shadow and disappeared. Percy let out a deep sigh and returned to the bus.

"You find whoever it was?" asked Artemis. She was staring at her nails as if she had nothing better to do.

"Yes. It was Nico. I told him to meet me at Camp Jupiter."

Artemis' head snapped to him so quickly that the crack could be heard through the entire bus. The hunters quieted down immediately.

"A boywas stalking us?" she sneered. Percy glared right back.

"Yes, but only because he wanted to join us. He's Pluto's ambassador at the camp… or so he says. I need his help to get into the camp."

Artemis glared at him before she relented.

"Alright. I'll trust you. But if he so much as looks at my hunters the wrong way, I'll kill him," she said seriously. Percy rolled his eyes.

"Ourhunters," he said. The hunters smiled. "And if he does, I'll kill him myself."

That seemed to appease Artemis for she smirked and let Percy onto the bus. It took a while for them to drive to the road, but eventually they finally got out of the dense Colorado tree line and onto the road. Percy sat in the back, eyes closed, trying to remember everything he could from his time in Rome. He had learned and taught a lot in those days. The hunters sang songs and told stories about men and monsters they had killed. Artemis laughed and joined in every now and then.

All too soon for Percy's liking, they arrived just outside of San Francisco. Artemis pulled over to the side to let everyone take care of hygienic business before they went into the city. Percy went off into the woods. He was just about to unzip his jeans when he heard a growl. He reached into his pocket for Anaklusmos, but didn't pull the sword out.

"Who's there?" he asked firmly. The trees rustled and he could hear the growling get louder. He pulled his hand out from his pocket and reached for Isorropia. He yanked the sword free and pointed it's golden edge into the trees.

"Show yourself!" he commanded. He had expected a hellhound or a wolf. What he saw was not what he expected. A man walked out of the woods. He had the body of a well-toned man, as if he had been chiseled out of marble. His head, however, was not human at all. It was the head of a dog. A fierce dog, foaming at the mouth. The man carried a large spear.

"Cynocephalus," whispered Percy. He lowered his sword, but didn't put it away. "What brings you here?" The cynocephalus didn't speak. It continued growling. "You were the one that tracked us through the mountains. Weren't you?" The monster barked this time, its mighty jaws snapping sending saliva everywhere. Percy wiped some off his cheek and glared at the dog-monster… thing.

It raised its spear and charged Percy. Its attacks were fluid and strong. Percy parried the spear and spun to his right. He stabbed upwards and almost clipped the cynocephalus' ribs but the warrior lunged out of the way. It spun the spear in a wide circle in front of him. Percy crouched into his typical fighting form. He held his sword up by his head, poised to strike. He sprung his shield free from his watch and held it up defensively. The monster twirled its spear and lunged forward. Percy blocked the spear with his shield and swung his sword. The cynocephalus brought the butt of its spear up and parried the sword away.

Before Percy could react, it stabbed at Percy's sword arm. The leather jacket kept his arm from being impaled, but the strike caused Percy to lose his footing. The monster took advantage and swung the spear at Percy's feet knocking him to the ground. Percy groaned as his head hit the ground but he managed to roll to the side before he could be impaled. He jumped back to his feet and crouched behind his shield. The monster stalked towards him quickly, but this time, Percy was ready. He feinted to the right as if he was going to strike with his sword. The cynocephalus went to block, but Percy spun quickly to the left smashing his shield into the dog head. The monster fell to the ground, dropping its spear. Percy wasted no time in plunging Isorropia into its chest. It exploded into dust.

Percy wiped the sweat and blood from his forehead. Wait. Blood?He asked. He put his sword and shield away and reached up and felt in his hair. It was wet. He pulled his hand away and found it covered in blood. Must have been when I fell,he reasoned. It surprised him. He hadn't even really felt anything. He reached into the pocket of his jacket, pulled out an ambrosia square, and popped it into his mouth. Instantly, he felt his head feel better. He heard the rustling of trees behind him. He whirled around, Isorropia in hand. It turned out to be Artemis and the hunters.

"Percy!" cried out Artemis. She looked at his blood covered hands and face and at the golden dust on the ground. "What happened?" The hunters stared at him in horror.

"Found out who was behind the stone back in Colorado. It was a cynocephalus. Damn strong one too," he said rubbing his sore arm. "Someone must have ordered him to do it. I don't remember the cynocephali siding with the Titans though."

Artemis shook her head and rushed to his side throwing her arms around him. Percy hugged her back.

"I'm alright, Artemis. I promise," he said into her ear. She hugged him tighter before she pulled away.

"Next time, call us. We would've loved to have killed that monster," said Thalia. The hunters laughed and nodded. Percy just smiled.

"Duly noted. But, uh… could you, you know?" He gestured to the tree. Artemis smirked but sent the hunters away.

"Hurry up. We're almost there."

Percy rolled his eyes and turned back to the tree.

 **A/N: I'm back. I'm SO sorry for the long wait. This was a crazy week but it's finally Fall Break for me so expect a week of multiple updates. I was honestly a bit put out that I only got a few reviews to the last couple of chapters. I'm five away from 100 reviews so please let me know what you guys think!**

 **Thanks for reviewing, favoriting, and following!**

 **New Update: I'm sorry everyone. I know I said I would finish the next chapter during break but it turned out that I was extremely busy. I am even more sorry to say that the next two weeks will be extremely hectic for me as I finish the semester (I have three massive papers and two projects) so I'm not sure when the next chapter will come out. Expect chapter 21 no later than December 17th!**

 **Thanks for reading and I'm very happy to say I'm past 100 reviews so thanks to everyone!**

 **DECEMBER 21 - I'm am very, very sorry to all of you who are waiting for the next chapter. It is currently in the works. Unfortunately, real life decided that now would be a fun time to keep me insanely busy, so I haven't had much time to write (I'll admit that Star Wars has taken a fair share of that time... don't judge me). Chapter 21 will be a little while longer but I promise you it WILL come out sometime soon!**

 **Thanks for sticking with me this long!**

 **Happy holidays to everyone and may the force be with you!**

 **JANUARY 16 - I'm, once again, sorry to everyone that chapter 21 is still not up. I have been incredibly busy lately and haven't had time to sit down to actually write. Plus, chapter 21 has proven to be a fairly difficult chapter for me to write so I'm taking extra time to get it just right so it flows with the story. Sorry for the wait!**


	21. Chapter 21

Percy growled in frustration.

"Where the Hades is he?"

They had arrived just outside camp Jupiter only a few hours before, but Nico was nowhere to be found. Artemis had dispatched a couple of hunters to search around the camp; without any luck.

"Men," muttered Artemis. "Completely and utterly useless." Percy turned and glared at her.

"You're not helping, Artemis."

She smiled innocently at him.

"You need to calm down, Percy. Your eyes are glowing."

Percy stopped and rubbed his eyes, sitting down onto the grass beside Artemis.

"I'm anxious, that's all. I haven't been in Rome in centuries. They might try and execute me for treason for leaving the Legion." Percy paused for a moment. "Which would be interesting, considering I started the Legion."

Artemis's eyes widened at that tidbit of history.

"You started the Legion?"

Percy nodded. "Aye. I was its first leader. I served Rome for centuries as many different Praetors and Senators." A rustling beside them caused Percy to leap to his feet, Isorropia drawn. Artemis drew her bow and notched an arrow.

"Who goes there?" she called out.

"It-It's me, Nico," came a timid voice. Percy sighed in exasperation.

"Finally! What the Hades took you so long?" Percy lowered his sword, but Artemis kept her bow drawn.

"I was speaking with my father. He had important things for me to say to the Senate," said Nico, stepping out from the trees, obviously freaked out by the goddess of the hunt. He wore a long, black robe that reached his feet.

"What things?" asked Artemis, harshly.

"Things I cannot speak out loud, except to the Senate."

Artemis glared at him but said nothing. Percy put a hand on her bow and lowered it.

"Fine, you can tell them in just a minute. We need to go now," Percy said. He turned to Artemis. "Take your hunters and watch the entrances and exits to the Camp. Things might go sour if they don't believe me. Might need to make a hasty exit."

Artemis nodded and put her bow away and put the arrow back into a quiver. She turned and left, not before giving Nico one last glare. Percy shook his head, amused, and patted Nico on the back.

"Don't worry, Nico. She's always like that."

Nico nodded, but continued to shiver from the look. Percy led them out of the woods around the camp and walked towards Camp Jupiter's main entrance. The camp had two large golden gates embedded into a stone wall that surrounded the area. Above the gates was a watch tower that seemed to be empty. Percy reached the gates and was about to knock, when a voice came from above them.

"Halt!" said the voice. It was obviously male. "State your name and cohort!" Percy turned and looked at Nico, expectantly. Percy made to talk, but Nico put a hand on his arm to stop him. He strode up to the gate and pushed his robe to the side, showing the sigil of Hades. The guard stared at the sigil for a moment before nodding and barking behind him in Latin. Percy watched, amazed with his nephew, as the gates opened up for them. Nico's demeanor changed. He was no longer the timid child that Percy had seen earlier; he was the cold heir to the Throne of the Underworld.

The guard from the tower came out to greet them. He stood before Nico and gave a Roman bow.

"I apologize, your grace. We did not expect you to arrive."

Nico glanced down and nodded.

"It is all right. I have an urgent matter to discuss with the Senate," he said. The guard stood back up. "This is my companion. He is under my protection. He is not to be touched while we are here." The guard glanced at Percy.

"I apologize, your grace, but only Romans and ambassadors may meet before the senate. Your companion must be admitted into the Legion if he wishes to present his matter," he said. Nico scowled.

"That is absurd, we bear important information directly from Olympus!"

The guard paled but made no move to let them through.

"I am sorry, but that is the law here. The gods themselves helped create these laws, they must know that even they must obey them."

"Tell that to Zeus," grumbled Percy under his breath. The guard narrowed his eyes at him.

"What was that?" he demanded. Percy shook his head.

"If I must prove myself to be able to speak then so be it. Lead the way… what's your name, centurion?" The guard puffed out his chest ever so slightly at being called a centurion.

"Mathan Foley."

Percy cracked a grin.

"Pleasure, Foley. Lead the way."

Mathan turned on the spot and led Percy and Nico away from the gates to a small building. The building was made of the same stone as the camp walls, and had a guard posted just outside its only door. There were no windows looking in, but Percy could just make out some candlelight coming from the crack under the door.

"What is this place?" asked Percy.

"This is where the praetors develop strategies and perform their duties. Before you can be admitted into the Legion, you must meet with them."

Percy nodded and followed Mathan. When they reached the door, Mathan waved a hand at the guard, who promptly opened the door for them. Nico stopped from going any further.

"This is where I must leave you, Perce. I have some business to take care of with the senate," he said. Percy frowned but nodded.

"That's alright. I'll see you soon." Nico gave a small smile and left for the senate building. Percy turned back to Mathan and followed him into the building. The inside was just as dark and gloomy as Percy imagined it. He loved it. A few lanterns lit the walls which had swords and shields mounted. A large, purple banner lay draped from one wall to another reading _Twelfth Legion Fulminata._ Percy snorted at that. In the center of the room was a small, oak table lit with candles and covered in maps and small figurines of legionnaires and monsters. A girl and a boy stood hunched over the table, occasionally pointing at the maps.

"Praetors Reyna and Jason, this man wishes to speak to you," said Mathan from the doorway. Reyna and Jason looked up and frowned at Percy.

"Who are you? You're not part of the Legion," said Reyna, arms crossed. Percy shook his head and stepped forward.

"My name is Percy Jackson. I have an important message for the senate, but was told that I must join the Legion before doing so." Reyna shook her head.

"I'm afraid you're right. Only Romans may speak before the senate. However," she said. "If you tell me your message, I can deliver it for you."

Percy narrowed his eyes. "I will tell you, but only if I join you in the senate building. This message is of the utmost importance, coming from Ze-Jupiter himself."

Jason's eyes widened.

"You've spoken with Jupiter?" he asked. Percy turned to look at him, his eyes flashing gold for a split moment, seeing deep into Jason's mind. _Ah, Jupiter's son. And Thalia's brother no less. Interesting._ Percy nodded.

"Yes I have. I am an… ambassador of Olympus, you could say." Reyna did not look appeased.

"Where are your papers of recommendation?" she asked in a harsh tone. Percy smirked inwardly, and pulled out a signed document from his pocket. He handed it to Jason, who immediately unfolded it and began reading. His expression went from confusion, to shock so quickly that Reyna became increasingly interested.

"What is it?" asked Reyna. "Who recommended him?"

Jason wordlessly handed it to Reyna and looked at Percy in wonder. Mathan stood curiously at the door, wanting to know what was on the paper, but not wanting to overstep his bounds. Reyna perused the document before looking up and fixing Percy with a fierce scowl.

"This paper is forged," she announced. "There is no possible way you could have had _him_ recommend you." Percy just flashed a wide smile and shook his head.

"You are right, of course," he said. " _He_ didn't recommend me." Reyna cocked her head confused, as did Jason. "You see, I _am_ him." Reyna and Jason blanched but composed themselves quickly and made to draw their swords. Mathan stared at them confused.

"Who does he claim to be?" he asked. Percy turned to him with a smirk, as his features changed ever so slightly. His hair grew slightly longer, reaching his shoulders, a full beard appeared on his face, and his Nemean leather jacket morphed into a hybrid Greco-Roman armor chest plate.

"Lucius Mummius Achaicus, sacker of Corinth, and Praetor of the Second Legion Fulminata."

[LINEBREAK]

Kronos marched his way into the meeting chamber, shoving the guards at the door to the side. His damned, new body was still weak and stiff, making his life miserable, but it was no matter to him. His spies had delivered a precious bit of news; news he was eager to share with his master.

The inner sanctum of the meeting room was quite bare. A table sat in the center, with a single skylight in the ceiling casting moonlight down upon it. Each corner of the room had a candelabrum holding Greek fire candles. It was an eerie sight. Kronos loved it. Upon the table was a large map of the United States. Several wooden figures lay positioned in random parts, representing the Titan and Olympian armies. A large shadow stood beside the table. Kronos glowered but he bowed.

"Kronos," rasped out the voice. "You've returned."

"Yes, master. Our forces are growing by the hour. Soon we will be able to take Olympus."

The room grew colder.

"The gods have sent an ambassador to New Rome. They must be stopped. Greece and Rome must not join together, or else we face defeat."

Kronos scowled. This was new news.

"I will send an assassin to stop this ambassador. What is his name?"

The shadow moved towards the darkest part of the room.

"Nico DiAngelo."

[LINEBREAK]

"Put your swords away," commanded Percy. Reyna and Jason did not budge. They glared at Percy, their swords pointed at his neck.

"To impersonate a legionnaire is punishable by death," growled Reyna. Mathan watched in confusion, still not drawing his gladius.

"Everyone calm down! What is going on? Who is Lucius Mummy Archy whatever?" asked Mathan, utterly confused. Reyna did not lower her sword.

"Lucius Mummius Achaicus was one of the greatest heroes of Rome. He defeated the Archaeans at Corinth," stated Reyna. "But that was over 2,000 years ago. There's no possible way, this man here is Lucius."

Mathan nodded and pulled out his gladius, but did not raise it.

"Then it is up to the senate to punish him," he said. Reyna and Jason scowled but knew that Mathan was right.

"Fine. Take him to the senate," said Jason. Mathan nodded and walked up to Percy, an apologetic look on his face. He stuck the point of his sword on Percy's back and his left hand on his shoulder.

"I apologize about this, but the law is the law."

Percy just smiled and let them lead him out of the building. As they walked out, several Roman legionnaires and centurions watched in confusion as a mysterious man in strange armor was led to the senate building as a prisoner. When they neared the senate building, the guards stepped to the sides immediately, not willing to anger an already enraged Reyna.

The senate building was massive. Built entirely out of marble and limestone, it stood four stories tall with a massive glass dome. Percy was very impressed. The last Roman senate building he had been in was nowhere near as grand. The hallways were lined with marble statues of Roman heroes and gods. Percy stifled a laugh when he saw a statue of Lucius Mummius Achaicus.

At the far end of the hallway was the door to the senate chambers. The symbol of Camp Jupiter was emblazoned in purple and gold. Mathan opened the door as Reyna and Jason led Percy into the chamber. Mathan stayed behind to guard the door. Centurions were not allowed in the chamber. The senators were already seated inside, chatting amongst themselves. Percy noticed Nico in the back watching everyone else. Nico caught his eye and gasped in surprise. The other senators took a moment to realize they had an audience.

"What is this?" asked a young girl in the front, as the senators turned to look at them.

"This man here is guilty of impersonating a Roman legionnaire," called out Jason. The senators eyed Percy in his Greco-Roman armor.

"What is your name?" asked the girl to Percy.

"My name is Percy Jackson. But you may know me as Lucius Mummius Achaicus," he said, proudly. The senators' eyes widened and they glared at Percy.

"You realize that to impersonate a legionnaire is punishable by death, don't you?" asked the girl, her voice carrying her anger. Percy nodded.

"I realize that, but I can assure you I am not impersonating anybody. I truly am Lucius. I swear on the River Styx."

Thunder boomed in the distance, and everyone watched Percy with bated breath. When nothing happen they stared at him confused.

"How is this possible?" asked Reyna. The others nodded, wondering the same thing. Percy pulled away from Jason's grip and moved to the center of the room, his armor morphing back into his leather jacket.

"You see, in truth, I am not just Percy or Lucius. My true name is Gabriel. I am the first Olympian," he said, watching them all. He was highly amused to watch their faces go from confused to terrified. As if the Olympian gods would come down and smite all of them for his blasphemy.

"You lie," hissed out a male senator next to Nico.

"No, I do not lie. I am the eldest child of Saturn. I am the god of balance, and spent much of history setting the course of fate," he explained. "I helped found Rome and helped Rome defeat Greece, despite the fact that Greece was my first home." The senators stared at him, unsure if they believed him.

"He speaks the truth," came a voice from behind everyone. Everyone's eyes turned to see how had spoken. Percy's eyes widened in surprise, before a smile lit up his face.

"Lupa," he whispered. The wolf goddess eyed him, but did not say anything to him.

"This man is who he says he is," she continued. The senators began shouting questions rapidly. "Quiet!" growled Lupa. The senators flinched and sat themselves back down.

"He is truly the god of balance, and the eldest child of Saturn. He was there at Rome's birth, but I have not seen him since then," she said. Percy walked up to her.

"Lupa, I-," he started, but was cut off by her hand.

"What are you doing here? Why have you returned?"

Percy flinched at anger in her voice.

"I am here because Olympus is in danger. The Titan army is marching towards Manhattan, but there are not enough demigods there to defend it."

"Rome does not have any demigods in New York," stated Reyna, confused.

"You're correct," Percy said, nodding. "But there are demigods there nonetheless. They have been picked by the gods to defend Olympus at all costs. Unfortunately, the Titan army has proved much too large for them. They need reinforcements. Rome must send forces to New York to help Olympus."

The senators eyed him.

"I am sorry, balance god," said the girl. "But we have no troops available. We are planning on attacking a Titan stronghold at Mount Othrys."

Reyna and Jason glared at the girl for revealing their military plans.

"You do not understand," implored Percy. "Olympus must be defended. If Olympus falls the world will end."

The girl rose her hand to stop him from continuing.

"I am sorry, Gabriel-Percy-Lucius, but we cannot spare any Romans. The Battle of Mount Othrys will be difficult as it is even with the full Twelfth Legion."

Percy growled in frustration and turned to Lupa.

"Lupa, you must understand what is happening. We need help!" his voice was urgent and his eyes were glowing gold. Lupa glared at him.

"No. You did not come to Rome's aid when King Alaric and the Visigoths sacked Rome. Rome will not come to your aid now," she growled out. Percy's eyes widened in shock, and he made no move to stop Lupa, Reyna, and Jason from leaving the chamber. The senators watched Percy with a strange look of hostility in their eyes, as they too cleared the chamber. Nico sat in his seat sadly, as Percy finally ran to Lupa.

"Lupa, please," he begged. "I couldn't help then. It wasn't right. I had to let fate run its course!"

Lupa turned to him with a look that could melt stone.

"You may leave New Rome this time with your life, but you are hereby exiled from Rome."

Percy felt tears running down his cheek. He put a hand on her shoulder to keep her from walking away. Lupa grabbed at his hand and angrily threw it to the side.

"Do not touch me," she hissed at him. "You are no longer my father." With that she stormed out of the chamber, leaving Percy and Nico alone.

 **A/N: I am SO sorry everyone for taking so long to get this chapter out. I can give you guys a bunch of excuses but let's just say that life was unnecessarily busy the last month. I know this isn't the best chapter I've written but it's a necessary filler for the ending of the story. Thank you all for sticking with me this long and for your favorites, follows, and reviews! You are all the best! I promise next chapter will be much longer.**

 **On a side note, there will be a poll on my page as to whether or not you want this story to have a sequel or end it with just the Balancing Act.**

 **Thanks for reading and let me know what you guys think! Constructive criticism and compliments are always welcome!**

 **Chapter 22 will hopefully be out next week at some point in time.**


	22. Chapter 22

Nico watched anxiously. He had never seen Percy this angry before. The trees were all blown backwards from the sheer force of power radiating from the god man. Percy's eyes were glowing a fierce gold, so bright that the world seemed to have simply stopped moving, and in truth, it had. Only Nico seemed to be able to move at all. He wasn't sure that was a good thing.

"How _dare_ they?" Percy shouted in anger. "I gave them everything! I have done more for Rome than any of those senators! And _Lupa_!" he hissed out the wolf goddess' name like a poison. Nico blanched.

"I-I don't know," he said hesitantly before shrinking at the glare Percy threw his way. "Don't get mad at me. I tried to make them listen to you."

Percy sighed and collapsed to his knees, time returning to normal.

"I'm sorry, Nico," he said, his voice barely a whisper. "I should've expected them to react that way. Rome hasn't changed at all. Neither has Lupa."

Nico stood up, realizing that his entire back was drenched with sweat from his nervousness.

"About that," Nico said slowly. "Lupa called you father. Is-Is that true?" He flinched, expecting Percy to explode. Percy just nodded, not wanting to explain it any further.

"I need to find Artemis," said Percy, standing up determinedly. He was still furious with Rome and how the senate had treated him, but he couldn't let his personal emotions get in the way.

"I'll find my father. If Rome won't help, he needs to know as well," Nico said before jumping into a shadow. Percy scanned the forest, determined which way was northeast, and ran towards where he assumed the hunters would be. It did not take long before he found a small clearing full of silver tents. As he approached a silver arrow flew just passed his eyes, stopping him in his tracks. Percy looked up into the trees and glared. A melodious chuckle only made him glare harder. Artemis dropped down from the trees, her bow now slung across her shoulders. She smiled warmly at Percy before noticing his dark look.

"What's wrong?" she asked softly, reaching up to cup his cheek.

"The senate refuses to send reinforcements to New York." The anger in his voice made Artemis flinch.

"I'm sorry," Percy said with a sigh. "I'm just so very angry with them. After all I've done for Rome they still behave like the bigoted fools they used to be."

"So that's it? We won't have any more soldiers to defend Olympus?" asked Artemis, seriously. Percy shrugged.

"I need you to speak with Lupa. She needs to be convinced that Olympus _must_ be defended at all costs."

Artemis nodded.

"I'll go at once. What will you do?"

"There's someone in New Rome I need to speak with. Two people actually. They may be willing to help our cause."

[LINEBREAK]

The moon hid behind dark clouds, casting an eerie look on the world below. A lone figure sat atop a massive oak tree, watching. Waiting. His cloak was wrapped tightly around him to keep from giving his position away. The wind was blowing with full force, and it was all he could do to keep from slipping. For hours he sat there, waiting for something to happen.

Just as his eyelids began drooping, his mind edging closer and closer to sleep, a rustling in the undergrowth beneath him instantly alerted him. He slowly moved his hand into his cloak and removed a rather long dagger. The fact that the moon was hidden helped keep the blade hidden since there was no light reflecting off of it. Another figure emerged from the shadows of the bushes. The new figure wore an intricate, dark robe embellished with silver linings. It seemed as though it had been created entirely out of shadows.

"Why does it have to be so cold tonight?" cursed the shadowy figure. The man in the tree smirked maniacally. He carefully placed his feet on the tree branch he was perched on and watched as the figure him below him made his way through the bushes towards him. _One… two… three…_ he counted. When the figure was just below him, he pounced off the branch, dagger above his head. He expected to kill his target easily. He didn't expect him to disappear into the darkness itself.

The shadowy figure reappeared right behind the man, a stygian iron sword held in his hands.

"Who are you?" asked the figure, his voice strong but the man could detect a trace of fear.

"I am the Nameless," came the response. The Nameless lunged forward with his dagger, but the figure parried it away, and spun to his left. The figure brought his sword up in a powerful thrust that nicked the Nameless' shoulder. He cursed loudly and rolled out of the way. The figure charged at him, sword held above his head. The Nameless waited till the last second before dodging to his left and thrusting his dagger into the figure. The figure gasped in shock and pain as the dagger pierced his heart. The Nameless watched with glee as the light left the figure's eyes.

"Y-you killed me," whispered the figure as he fell to the ground. The Nameless knelt down and pulled out a white, linen cloth.

"So long, Nico Di'Angelo," he said and wiped his cloth over Nico's wound and put it back in his cloak. With one last look at the dead, he turned and left the area. He never saw the ground open up and swallow up Nico's body.

[LINEBREAK]

Percy crouched behind a tree on the edge of the forest. The gate leading into Camp Jupiter stood only a few feet in front of him, guarded by two legionnaires. As far as he could tell, neither of them were who he was looking for. Percy glanced down at the ground and found a rather large stone. He picked it up and pulled his arm back to throw it. He stared into the darkness, thanked the fates that being able to see in the dark was one of the godly gifts he retained, and threw the stone several meters away at a tree. The sound alerted the guards who, in turn, went to investigate. Using the distraction Percy scurried through the gate into the camp.

Inside the gates Percy was pleasantly surprised to find that security was lacking. Apparently the Romans did not expect there to be any threats to them at night. _Technically,_ thought Percy, _I'm not a threat per say._ He morphed his leather jacket into a full Roman cuirass. If someone spotted him, at least they wouldn't think anything of it. He quickly made his way to the building in which he had first met Reyna and Jason. Thankfully, there was no one guarding the door so he silently slipped inside. At the far end of the hall, Jason stood alone, staring at a map of the U.S. Percy made his way as quietly as he could towards him, but his foot stepped on a creaking floor board. Jason whirled around but did not unsheathe his sword.

"Legionnaire, what are you doing here?" he asked. Percy could tell that he was exhausted from his voice. Percy turned and put his hand on the door knob, closing his eyes and using his godly power to completely seal the room shut. He turned and walked over to Jason.

"I require your assistance, Jason Grace." Percy's Roman armor morphed back into his leather jacket. Seeing the familiar face, Jason pulled out a coin from his pocket.

"You shouldn't be here, traitor," he sneered. Percy held his hands up, showing he bore no harm.

"I only came to talk. Can we sit?" he asked, motioning towards two seats sitting next to the wall. Jason narrowed his eyes but nodded. They sat down, Jason on the edge of his chair, and Percy leaning back with his hands clasped on his lap. "I wasn't joking when I said that we need help in defending New York."

"And we weren't joking when we said we cannot spare any legionnaires. If you really are a god you shouldn't be able to even interfere in mortal affairs," Jason countered.

"It's a long story," explained Percy. "But I'm not just a god. I'm fully god and fully mortal. I am the perfect balance of the two." The thought seemed to confuse Jason greatly. His brow furrowed and he cocked his head ever so slightly.

"How does that even work?"

"It's difficult to explain. I'm not entirely sure myself. All I know is that it worked."

"So are you immortal?"

That made Percy hesitate. "No. I do not believe so. One of the draw backs of what I did."

Jason just nodded.

"So why come back to Camp Jupiter? Lupa already made it clear that you should be executed if you ever returned."

"I came back because there are two people here in New Rome that I need. Two people that I believe can help tip the scales in our favor," Percy said with a sigh. "I realize just how angry Lupa is with me, and to be honest I sort of deserve it. But Olympus _must_ be defended."

Jason narrowed his eyes at Percy.

"And just who are these two Romans?" he asked. Percy took a deep breath.

"Mathan Foley, son of Vulcan, and you, Jason."

Jason stared at him for a hard moment, before throwing his head back and laughing. It took him several seconds to compose himself and he glared at Percy.

"You expect me, a Roman _Praetor_ , to leave the legion, take a fellow centurion, and go with you to New York? Who the hell do you think you are?" Jason's voice was full of fury and he gripped his coin tightly in his fist. Percy glared right back at him, inwardly smirking when Jason flinched. He stood up on his feet, his golden eyes shining brilliantly.

"I am Gabriel, eldest of the Olympians, founder of Rome and the one person you do _not_ want to insult," he said firmly. Jason paled and shrunk back in his seat. "I need you both. Dark times are ahead and if Olympus falls nothing will stop the Titans from taking over the world. Your precious Rome will collapse once more, for good, if you do not come with me."

Jason felt a bead of sweat trickle down his cheek.

"I-I can't just leave my home," he said, his voice barely a whisper. Percy sat back down.

"I know its hard, but I know something else that might change your mind."

"What's that?"

"You had a sister correct?"

[LINEBREAK]

"Lupa, come on! You have to realize that to disobey Olympus is to forfeit your life!" cried Artemis. Lupa scowled.

"I will not bow down to the demands of an ungrateful former god! He had his chance to come to our help and he never took it!"

Artemis growled with frustration.

"Don't you think it was difficult for me too?" she asked. "I _loved_ him! When he left it felt like he ripped a part of my heart out!" A tear ran down her cheek, and she wiped at furiously. It wasn't like the man-hating goddess to cry. "I know he hurt you, my friend, but this isn't about him. This is about saving the world. The Titans are marching towards New York. They'll be there in just a few days. Please Lupa. Please we need your help."

Lupa sighed and stared at the ground for a minute.

"Fine. I'll allow only a few legionnaires, but I cannot send more than that."

Artemis smiled with relief and pulled her old friend into a hug. Lupa couldn't help but smile. Despite how angry she was with her father for abandoning her, Artemis had always been very close to her, and it was hard to deny her anything.

"I have one condition though," said Lupa seriously, pulling away.

"What is that?"

"Bring them back alive."

[LINEBREAK]

"Are you sure he is here?" asked Percy. Jason nodded and led them towards the mess hall.

"He usually comes here after his shift on the north wall."

Percy followed him into the mess, his eyes scanning the room. He had his leather jacket morph into the casual purple camp shirt so as to not stand out. Thankfully, Reyna and the senators were not in the mess.

"There he is," said Jason, pointing to Mathan who was sitting alone by the back corner. They walked over to him and sat down across from him.

"Praetor," said Mathan with a nod before looking at Percy. His eyes widened. Jason put a finger to his lips.

"Quiet. I realize that he's not supposed to be here, but he has something interesting to say to you."

Mathan shook his head. "I can't do this. Just by speaking to you two I can be tried and executed."

Jason frowned.

"Sit, centurion. That's an order."

Mathan glanced around the mess, obviously conflicted, but ultimately decided to remain quiet.

"Fine. But if I do not like what you have to say, I _will_ go to the senate."

"That's fine," said Percy. "Now about my being here." He then proceeded to explain everything. How the gods had been lying for years. That there was actually a Greek counterpart to their camp in New York tasked with defending Olympus. Mathan was skeptical at first, but the fact that his praetor believed Percy helped.

"So what you're saying is that I need to go with you and Jason to New York, against the senate's wishes, to protect Olympus from falling to the Titans alongside Greeks?" he asked suspiciously. Percy nodded.

"In short, yes."

Mathan grinned. "When are we leaving?"

Percy and Jason grinned back and glanced around the room.

"We need to leave now. Artemis and her hunters are waiting for us just outside the camp. Lupa knows that you two are coming with me, but she cannot defend you two from the senate. Unfortunately Rule of Law still applies to her," explained Percy. He was grateful for having remembered how to mentally communicate with other gods. Having Artemis be such good friends with Lupa made things much easier.

"So how are we going to get out? It's the middle of the morning," asked Mathan.

"We have an unexpected patrol to do," Jason said with a smirk. "Now let's go centurions, daylight's wasting."

The three of them stood up and left the mess hall.

"Do you have your weapons, Mathan?" asked Percy. Mathan nodded and patted his pocket.

Jason led them towards the gate, but just as they were about to leave an unexpected voice stopped them.

"Jason, where do you think you're going?"

Jason cursed and turned around slowly. Percy and Mathan dared not turn around.

"We are going to patrol outside the gate, by order of Lupa."

Reyna narrowed her eyes and stared at Percy and Mathan.

"Three centurions need to do this?" she asked suspiciously. "Where are your orders?"

Jason fumbled in his pockets trying to buy sometime.

"They're… they're… run!" he shouted. He grabbed dirt from the ground and threw it in Reyna's eyes, momentarily blinding her. The three of them ran out of camp, before the alarm could be raised. Just as they reached the edge of the woods they heard the horn blow behind them.

"Quickly," yelled Percy. "Artemis is just over this way."

They followed Percy through the undergrowth to a small clearing where Artemis and her hunters waited. The hunters glared at the two new boys, but said nothing having already been informed.

"Get us out of here!" shouted Percy. They all jumped onto Artemis' chariot and took off just as Reyna stormed into the clearing, eyes red with rage. Percy, Mathan, and Jason sighed in relief. Thalia stared at Jason in confusion.

"Do I know you?" she asked hesitantly. Jason looked up and shook his head.

"I'm sorry, I don't believe so."

Percy and Artemis smirked.

"Jason, this is Thalia Grace. Your sister."

Jason stood up immediately, his eyes wide. Thalia herself seemed about to break down into tears.

"H-how is this possible?" she asked.

"That's another story for another time," said Percy. "What matters is that you both are together again."

Everyone smiled at the two of them, though shock was clearly evident on the hunter's and Mathan's faces.

[LINEBREAK]

They flew for only a moment, just long enough to get out of range of Rome, before Artemis brought them back down.

"I can't have the moon be up in the sky this late in the morning," she explained. "We'll have to go the rest of the way either by Apollo's sun bus, or find another way."

The hunters grimaced at the thought of riding with Apollo. Mathan and Jason just looked confused.

"Man-haters and a womanizer don't work well together," explained Percy. "Let's find a train or something to get back."

"Don't you remember what happened the last time we went on a train?" asked Zoe. Percy opened his mouth before stopping.

"Good point. And bus in definitely out of the question." He tapped his chin. "Any other ideas?"

"What about a plane?" asked Jason. Everyone shrugged and nodded except for Mathan and Thalia.

"I don't do well with heights," he said. "My father was thrown off Olympus." A collective ahh was said. Thalia sighed with relief.

"Alright, so no train, no chariot, no Apollo, no bus, and no plane." Percy sat down and rubbed his eyes. This was much harder than it needed to be. Suddenly he had an idea and jumped up, clapping his hands together.

"What about motorcycles?" he said with a smile. No one said anything so he cheered for himself. "Okay so give me a few minutes and I'll have a couple of motorcycles for us to ride to New York."

In reality, it took Percy around an hour to round up enough motorcycles for all of them. The guys each had their own motorcycle while the hunters each shared one.

"That's not fair," complained Atalanta.

"Well we guys can't ride together," said Percy. "We're too big, and I'm sure you don't want to share a bike with one of them, so this is the best choice." Atalanta grumbled but did not argue. Soon they were all on the interstate headed east towards Manhattan. They rode has fast as they could, making it all the way to Kansas. Having two gods to speed things up really helped. They stopped to rest just outside of Kansas City when Percy received an Iris message from his brother.

"Percy," came a deep voice.

"Hades? What's wrong?" asked Percy, concerned. "Did Nico reach you?" The look of pain on Hades' face alarmed Percy.

"Nico… Nico was killed, Percy."

Percy fell to the ground.

"How did this happen?" he whispered.

"The Titans sent an assassin to get him. I found him dead just after he left my palace."

"Th-thank you for telling me," whispered Percy. Hades nodded and ended the message. Percy's eyes flashed a brighter gold than they had ever before. The darkness around him fled instantaneously and the trees were blown back as if by a tremendous wind. The world stood still.

"I will kill him. I swear it on the Styx." Thunder boomed in the distance sealing the promise. The world began moving once more, and Percy stood back up on his feet. He walked back to their camp to find Mathan and Jason hiding in a tree as hunters tauntingly shot arrows at them. Percy, despite being furious with everything that had happened the last few days, couldn't help but laugh.

"Alright, that's enough ladies," he said with a chuckle. The girls groaned but obeyed and walked back to their tents. Artemis stood beside Percy with a wide smirk.

"T-they listen to you?" asked Jason, shakily. "I thought they hated men."

"All men 'cept me," Percy proclaimed, proudly. "I helped start the hunt in the first place. Didn't I Artemis?" He put his arm around her shoulder and was greeted with an elbow to the gut. He grunted but smiled at her. Jason and Mathan blanched at the strange sight but dared not anger the Moon Goddess. "Come on guys, get down."

"Okay, I have a question," said Mathan. "How exactly did Jason end up with us in Rome, and Thalia ended up with the Greek hunters?" Thalia, having heard her name, walked over to them, interested as well. Percy sighed and rubbed his eyes.

"Long story short, Zeus slept with their mother two times. Once as Zeus and once as Jupiter which is forbidden. Ms. Grace had Thalia with Zeus and Jason with Jupiter. Zeus was planning on killing Jason in order to protect his own reputation, but Hera stole Jason away and made him her champion," Percy explained. Jason and Thalia's eyes widened.

"Father wanted to kill me?" whispered Jason. Percy nodded sadly.

"Unfortunately, Olympus has fallen much farther than I had ever expected since I was there." Percy put his hand on Jason's shoulder. "But don't worry, the tide is changing."

"How can Jason and I help defend Olympus? We're only two demigods." Mathan's voice was not worried, simply wary. Before Percy could respond, a loud explosion erupted from behind them.

"What was that?" cried the hunters from their tents. Suddenly, a swarm of monsters came charging into their camp. The hunters, being ever prepared, pulled out their hunting blades and bows and began mowing them down. Jason pulled out his coin and flipped it, a massive lance appearing in his hands. He charged the monsters and began expertly stabbing, lunging, and parrying. Mathan, too, pulled out a flashlight from his pocket and clicked it open, a battle hammer appearing his in his hand. He then pulled out a razor and pressed the power button and it too became a battle hammer. Duel wielding, he charged in after Jason. Both of them, having been trained together fought seamlessly. Percy smiled; this was why they would help tip the scales in the gods' favor. He morphed his leather jacket into his hybrid armor, yanked Isorropia from his watch, clicked on his shield, and jumped into the fray. Artemis and the hunters pulled back and climbed into the trees to pick off the monsters from a safe distance. Mathan bulldozed his way through the enemies' lines with his hammers, as Jason picked off the stragglers with his lance. Percy fought his way to the monsters' flank and began pushing them towards the Romans and hunters.

"Jason, Thalia, use your powers!" called out Percy as he stabbed his sword into an empousa. She screamed and exploded into dust just as a storm began brewing up above. Percy smirked. Lightning began crashing down, striking monsters and covering the ground in a thick layer of golden dust. Thalia called lightning down on her bow and began shooting charged arrows at the enemy. Jason's lance became electrified and he began burning the enemy to a crisp. Mathan pouted at not being able to do as much. A giant came lumbering into the clearing, and Mathan smirked. He charged the giant which smiled dumbly at the prospect of his food coming to him. At the last second, Mathan leaped into the air and brought both hammers down in a downward arc. They smashed into the giant's skull killing it instantly. Percy was very, very impressed.

The battle itself did not last long. In minutes all of the monsters were dead and the demigods hardly had a scratch on them. They put their weapons away and Percy walked up to the Romans.

"That's why I chose the both of you. You have such power and talent that together we can save Olympus." The idea of so much glory and honor brought bright smiles to their faces and they nodded at Percy.

"Now let's rest. We have a long way to go tomorrow," said Percy. "I'll take first watch."

 **A/N: Here's the next chapter! Let me know what you guys think! Thank you all for reading, reviewing, favoriting, and following it means a lot and every review and favorite/follow is great motivation to write the next chapter. You guys are the best!**

 **I have decided that Balancing Act will have a sequel TBD at a later date. Thank you to the few of you that voted in the poll. Have a great week! Until next time!**


	23. Chapter 23

The group made their way seamlessly to Manhattan. They roared towards the gates of Camp Half-Blood early in the morning just as Apollo was rising up in the horizon. They dismounted at the base of half-blood hill and proceeded to walk the rest of the way. The entire way Percy explained to Jason and Mathan what camp was like for the Greek demigods. They were impressed and jealous that the gods favored the Greeks over the Romans. As Percy thought about it, he too was wondering about that, but considering Rome's treatment of him he didn't care much.

"Just remember that we Greeks are no longer as weak and frail as we have been in the past," explained Percy as they neared Thalia's tree. "Over the last few years, we have really amped up our forces."

"So explain to me again why you need us then?" asked Jason. He and Mathan were both still wary about meeting the Greeks.

"Because despite our increase in strength, the Titan army is still much too strong." Percy stopped them for a moment. "You, Jason, have tremendous strength inside of you in regards to godly power. You are arguably the most powerful demigod in history. We need you to help lead our forces into battle." He turned to Mathan. "And you, not only are you strong in battle, but you are an incredible mechanic. Your ingenuity will be highly beneficial towards our victory." The two Roman demigods shared a smile, their nerves calmed ever so slightly. Percy motioned for them to continue.

The guards immediately let them into the camp and Jason and Mathan eyed Peleus warily as they past Thalia's tree, but seeing as how the others did not seem unnerved, they ignored their fears. They _were_ Roman after all. The rest of the camp was unusually empty. Percy felt the pang of grief seeing so few demigods running around.

"Girls, head over to my cabin. I will go with Percy and these _boys_ ," she said with a sneer in the guys' direction. The hunters nodded and headed off towards the Artemis cabin.

"Come on. I'm sure Chiron is waiting for us in the Big House," said Percy, leading them all towards the center of the camp. It took longer than usual since the Hephaestus campers had erected several more defensive walls around the center of the camp, but finally they reached the Big House. Chiron was standing in full centaur form barking orders at a couple of campers when he noticed Percy and his entourage. He trotted over to them, his face grim. He bowed to Artemis before turning to Percy.

"Gabriel, did you manage to-"

"No," said Percy cutting him off. "The Romans are not willing to send any troops to help." Chiron nodded but eyed Jason and Mathan.

"Who are they?"

"This is Jason Grace and Mathan Foley," Percy told him. Chiron blanched.

"Grace? As in-"

"He's Thalia's little brother, yes."

Chiron smiled brightly at Jason.

"A son of Zeus is always welcome," he said. "And who's your parent?"

"Vulcan," responded Mathan before grimacing. "I mean Hephaestus." Chiron wasn't fooled.

"You're Roman?" he asked with narrowed eyes. "And you, Jason?" They both nodded. "What's the meaning of this Gabriel?"

"Lupa wouldn't send troops, but she's allowed these two to aid us in defending Olympus," Percy explained. "Trust me. I've seen these two in battle. They are more than enough."

"I'm trusting you on this," Chiron said cautiously. Percy smiled and nodded.

"Have I ever let you down?"

Chiron shook his head with a small smile. "No, Gabriel. You haven't."

Percy clapped his hands together and looked around.

"Now, Chiron. Did you have the Hephaestus cabin do that little favor I asked you before I left?"

Chiron laughed, his laughter deep and soothing.

"Of course. Follow me, this way."

Artemis and the Romans followed Chiron and Percy confused as they walked towards the cabins. As they walked, Mathan and Jason eyed the cabins in awe, particularly the Hephaestus and Zeus cabins.

"Why don't we have these in New Rome?" asked Mathan under his breath. Jason shrugged.

"Because we don't separate according to our parents."

Chiron led them towards the end of the line of cabins. The Artemis cabin used to be the last one but beside hers was a small, rustic cabin. On the outside it did not look like much. The only adornment was a shield with a golden sword engraved on it above the door. Percy smiled wide.

"I must go, Gabriel. We still have more plans to go over before the big battle." With that Chiron trotted off towards the Big House.

"I need to check in with the girls as well," said Artemis. She pecked Percy on the cheek before walking to her cabin, but not before shoving the Romans to the side. Percy turned and smiled at Jason and Mathan.

"Welcome to the Gabriel cabin," he said with a wide smile. "You'll be bunking with me here." The Romans shared smiles; glad they didn't have to bunk with strange Greeks.

For the next several months leading up to Percy's sixteenth birthday, the Romans integrated into the Greek's remaining army. Jason helped teach the Greeks new styles of fighting, resulting in a very well-rounded fighting force. Mathan joined the Hephaestus cabin in coming up with new armor, weapons, and defenses. His ideas were inspiring and the children of the god of the forge began mass production. Pan too had brought the nearby satyrs together to help spread the word throughout the world to all of the nymphs and sprites that Olympus needed to be defended. Despite their limited numbers, Percy felt confident that they would survive the coming battle.

A week before Percy's sixteenth battle, Percy entered the arena. Jason was sparring with Thalia while the hunters and several campers stood watch. Percy eyed them with scrutiny, trying to find any faults in their technique.

"Thalia! Widen your stance," barked out Percy. Thalia flinched at his sudden shout causing her to leave her midsection open. Jason took the advantage and landed a punch to her side sending her sprawling to the ground. He smirked down at Thalia and looked up at Percy. Percy frowned. Jason gave him a questioning look when he suddenly felt his legs go out from underneath him and he landed on his back with a grunt. Thalia stood above him, her spear right at his neck.

"Yield?"

Jason glared up at her. "I yield."

Thalia smirked and the hunters cheered.

"At attention!" shouted out Percy. The hunters and the campers scrambled to line up before him. They all stood in precise military formation. Percy walked in front of them, eyeing them all up and down, a training staff resting in his hand. He noticed that some of the campers were shaking ever so slightly in their place. He stood directly in front of one of them.

"Are you scared, Gardner?" he barked out. Katie, to her credit, didn't flinch.

"No sir!"

"Are you nervous?"

"No sir!"

Percy eyed her for a moment before walking onward to the other campers. He was pleased to find them all reacted similarly.

"Pair up!" he shouted at them all. The hunters paired up together as did the campers. "We will go through the seven forms slowly. Shii-Cho!" They all began going through the motions of the first form. Their movements were fluid and perfect.

"Solace! Square your shoulders!" A few moments later, when Percy felt that they had done well enough he moved on. "Makashi! Soresu! Ataru! Niman! Juyo!" They moved through all the seven forms quickly. Each one was done fluidly and precisely.

"At ease!" commanded Percy. Everyone dropped their shoulders and took deep breaths. Sweat rolled down each of their faces. Despite their slow movements, the forms were incredibly difficult to perfect. "You have ten minutes before we do it again!" Everyone grumbled and walked towards the walls of the arena where they kept their water bottles. Since Percy had returned to camp he had kept the campers on a continuous rotation of teaching them forms of combat. It had taken several months, but eventually they perfected all seven. Percy was very impressed.

"Where did you learn all of this, Percy?" huffed out Jason. His hand was shaking as he lifted his water bottle to his lips.

"I spent centuries in different places," said Percy with a guarded smile. "I guess you could say I went beyond this world to learn the best forms of swordsmanship."

Jason nodded, too exhausted to press any further. Percy smirked and eyed the others. They all seemed to be as tired as Jason.

"Alright!" cried out Percy after ten minutes. "Line up!" They all lined up, and despite their fatigue, they did so quickly. "We start again, faster!" A few hours later, they finished their training.

"You all did well," Percy said with a smile. "Hit the showers." The campers and hunters sighed in relief and headed off to their cabins just as another group of campers walked into the arena. Percy smiled manically. "Alright you lot! Line up!"

[LINEBREAK]

"How go our plans?" asked Kronos.

"We will soon be ready to march on Olympus, milord," said Helios. "Typhon is preparing to launch an aerial attack on the gods themselves while we hit the city on the ground."

Kronos nodded as he eyed the map spread out before him.

"How long before we are ready?"

Helios shrugged. "About a week or so."

Kronos sneered and slammed his fist on the table, scattering the small wooden figures that were on the map all over the floor. Helios paled.

"We march in two days," Kronos said and began marching out the room.

"We won't be ready in two days!" said Helios before his eyes widened in fear. Time itself stopped. Kronos turned around and, in the blink of an eye, had Helios lifted up by his throat.

"What did you say?" Kronos asked. His voice a lethal whisper.

"I- I said- we'll march- in- two days," rasped out Helios. Kronos eyed him for a moment before letting go. Helios dropped to the floor, clutching his throat. Kronos glared at him one last time before leaving the room. Olympus would fall in two days.

[LINEBREAK]

"Percy? Can I talk to you?"

Percy looked up from the book he was reading. Artemis was standing in the door way to his cabin with a look he just couldn't place.

"Of course, come in," he said, his voice holding a hint of worry. "Is everything alright?"

Artemis nodded but didn't speak. She walked into the cabin, closing the door shut behind her. She sat down in the chair beside Percy and looked around.

"Are the other _boys_ here?"

Percy shook his head.

"They're at the mess hall eating."

Artemis nodded and turned back to Percy. This time he could clearly see something was eating at her. He reached out and cupped her cheek.

"Are you okay?" he asked softly. Artemis closed her eyes and leaned into his hand.

"I'm worried."

"About the battle?"

She shook her head. "About the prophecy."

Percy paled.

"I'm so scared I'll lose you. For good this time." The worry was clear in her voice.

Percy leaned back in his chair and put his book on the coffee table in front of him.

"The prophecy doesn't expressly say that I will die," he reasoned. Artemis glared at him.

"It doesn't say you'll live either."

He didn't know how to counter that.

"Do you even know what all the lines of the prophecy mean?" she continued. Percy shrugged and pulled out a piece of paper from his pocket.

"I've been trying to work it out for the last couple of months. I think I've got some of it down. _A half-blood of the eldest god,_ that obviously refers to me. I'm a half-blood but not like the others. I am Gabriel, the eldest god. _Shall reach sixteen in total awe_ , I'm not sure what the 'total awe' part means but I guess the prophecy will be fulfilled in a few days. _See the world in endless sleep_ , I have no clue what that part means. _The hero's soul, blessed blade shall reap_ , the hero could be anyone, but I believe that my sword Isorropia is the 'blessed blade.' _A single choice shall end his days, Olympus to preserve or raze_ , that part is the worrisome part. It's vague and could possibly mean that I will die." Artemis choked a sob. "Or it could mean that I simply lose part of my double life. I could remain just a demigod, or I could return to being fully god. But obviously, whichever choice it is I have to make, one option leads to Olympus being saved and the other leads to its destruction."

They sat in silence for a while, contemplating what Percy had said. Artemis closed her eyes, trying vainly to hold in her emotions.

"If you die," she said very carefully. "I will find you. And I will personally send you to the underworld."

Percy smiled at her attempt at diffusing the tension. "Of that I have no doubt."

Artemis smiled back and moved over to sit in his lap.

"I'm not letting you go. I lost you for too many years. I won't lose you again," she said determinedly. Percy nodded and kissed her cheek.

"I don't plan on going anywhere."

They stayed that way for a while, content to be together even if it was just for a few minutes. Finally, Artemis stood up.

"I need to go," she said slowly. Percy stood up and pulled her into one last hug. Artemis rested her head on his chest, listening to his heartbeat.

"Are you hungry?" asked Percy. Artemis narrowed her eyes and looked up.

"I'm a goddess, Percy. I don't need to eat."

Percy smiled sheepishly. "Oops. I forgot."

Artemis chuckled and kissed his cheek.

"Go on and get something to eat. I'll be in my cabin with my hunters."

Percy laughed and they walked out of his cabin. She looked around to make sure they were alone, and kissed chastely on the lips. Percy smiled as she pulled away and walked into her cabin, blowing him a saucy kiss as she closed the door. He shook his head. _I'm going to need a cold shower._

The mess hall was full of campers, all scarfing down food by the pound. They looked up when Percy walked in and waved at him. Percy smiled and waved back. In the arena he was their teacher. Here he was just another soldier. Mathan and Jason were sitting at his table whispering to one another. After getting his food, offering a blessing to himself and Artemis, he walked over to his table. The Romans never noticed him approaching.

"What are you two ladies whispering about?" he asked, slamming his tray on the table. They both jumped with girlish squeals. The campers sitting nearby burst into laughter. Jason and Mathan glared at him.

"We were just discussing some battle plans," Jason said. Percy nodded, though he couldn't wipe the grin from his face. "Oh, stop that." Percy laughed and took a moment to compose himself.

"Alright. Tell me what you guys are thinking."

Jason passed over a sheet of paper. A rough sketch of New York city was scribbled on the page.

"We should place wooden barriers in these spots," pointed Mathan at a few 'X's marked on the paper. "Archers can line the windows of the apartment buildings on either side. While the Titan ground force is trying to push past those barriers, archers can rain down hell from either side." Percy nodded, impressed. "At the same time, the ground will be sprayed with a thin mist of gasoline. One camper will be in control of a Greek fire bomb. One throw at the ground will cause it to go up in flames."

"What about the streets not blocked off?" asked Percy.

"Since the barricaded streets will only need to be manned by hunters and archers and a small contingent of ground troops, the other streets will host a legion of soldiers each," said Jason.

"A legion of soldiers will not hold fast against an army of Titan monsters."

"Yes, but they will be in phalanx formation. According to the textbooks I found in the Athena cabin, General Epaminondas used a phalanx of fifty men to hold of the Spartan armies at the Battle of Leuktra."

Percy nodded. He had fought in that battle. He didn't think it was necessary to explain that he _was_ Epaminondas.

"Even though we don't have enough troops to have fifty per street, only around twenty campers or so should be able to hold their lines using a combination Shii-Cho and Juyo," continued Jason. Percy nodded. He was very impressed by their quick thinking.

"Those are very well thought out plans. I'm hoping that we will be adding more defensive mechanisms throughout the city, right?" he asked Mathan. The son of Vulcan nodded.

"We will be adding hundreds of traps throughout the city. They will be placed in random places so that the enemy will not be able to discern any pattern." Mathan paused. "Plus, Pan's army of nymphs and satyrs will be defending Central Park along with the Demeter cabin."

Jason looked up at Percy expectantly. Percy looked at the map for another minute before looking up with a smile.

"Congratulation you two. You've both just been promoted to captains." He pointed at the central street leading to the Empire State Building. "Jason you will be leading the phalanx here." He pointed at the building itself. "Mathan, you will be stationed here, deploying traps and defenses throughout the city. You will lead the last line of defense for Olympus."

Both Romans squared their shoulders and straightened their backs at the honor.

"We will not let you down," said Jason seriously. Percy nodded and stood up, finishing the last of his meal.

"I know you won't."

 **A/N: Alright guys. I know I promised a longer chapter this time and this isn't the longest I've written, but this is mainly a filler chapter. The next chapter will be the last chapter of Balancing Act which will continue in Balancing Act: Civil War! Thank you to all of you who have read this story! You guys are amazing!**

 **As a little incentive, I want to see if we can reach let's say… 20 reviews for this chapter/story. If you reach 20 reviews I'll post chapter 24 AND chapter 1 of the sequel.**

 **Thank you to all of you again for reading, reviewing, favoriting, and following! You guys are the best! And before I go, if anybody catches the reference in this chapter send me a PM telling me what the reference is in the story and what it's a reference to. Whoever figures it out gets an internet cookie and a mention next chapter!**

 **Thanks again!**


	24. Chapter 24

_Two Days till Percy's 16_ _th_

"It's an ambush!" cried out Clarisse. The campers scrambled out of the way as a car smashed into the wooden barricade they had just erected. "Phalanx!"

Monsters began pouring down the street towards the Greeks. The campers rushed into their formation, linking their shields together and aiming their spears and lances at the enemy.

"Hold!" Clarisse barked out. "Hold!" She waited. And waited. And waited, till the monsters were within range. "Fire!"

The monsters stood no chance. The archers in the back of the phalanx rained down hell on the Titan's armies. Golden dust covered the ground just as Clarisse led the troops on a ground assault. The monsters were not prepared at all for the organized attack. All previous battles had been fought against free fighting Greeks. They believed that their superior numbers would give them the upper hand. They were sorely mistaken. Within minutes all the monsters were dead.

"Hold this line!" shouted Clarisse. "This was only the first wave. They'll be back soon." The campers gave a collective _hoorah!_ and beat their spears on their shields.

* * *

"How did they defeat our front lines?" hissed out Kronos.

"It seems as though they're much more organized than we thought," responded Prometheus, as he studied their battle plans. They had launched their surprise attack two days early as Kronos had commanded. Thanks to Morpheus, the entire world was asleep, blissfully unaware of the colossal battle taking place. The Titans had expected to catch the demigods unaware and reach Olympus by noon. What they had not expected, was to find a heavily fortified city, defended on all fronts. To make things more difficult, the Greeks seemed to have developed a genius battle strategy, worthy of Athena herself.

"What did our spies have to say?" Kronos was livid. The room began to grow dark, the shadows edging ever closer to him.

"Nothing, milord," came a voice from behind them. Kronos turned around, eyes blazing gold.

"Iapetus," sneered Kronos. "How good of you to join us."

Iapetus sneered right back, stabbing his sword into the ground.

"We've lost all contact with our spies. Either they've been discovered, or there is no way for us to reach them," he said, ignoring Kronos.

"Iris message them."

"I'm not an idiot, Kronos. We've tried. Nothing works. Iris seems to have disconnected herself from the mortal world."

Kronos snorted and turned to Prometheus and the map.

"Where are their weak points?" he asked, his voice dripping with venom. Prometheus was unfazed.

"They're weakest to the North. Our scouts have pinpointed two streets that aren't as well defended, and six streets that don't have any Greeks at all," he said pointing them each out. "If we launch another raid on just these eight spots, we'll be able to weaken the Greek forces."

Kronos smiled menacingly.

"Good," he said. "Koios!"

A tall Titan stalked into the room.

"Yes?" he drawled out.

"Gather our forces, we're striking back at these worthless Greeks."

"And what will you do milord?" asked Koios.

"I'll be leading our troops into battle."

* * *

 _One day before Percy's 16th_

The sound of clashing metal woke Percy up. He scrambled out of his bed on the fifth floor of the Empire State Building, pulled on a shirt, combat pants and boots, and put his leather jacket on.

"Percy?" came a voice from behind him. Percy felt a twinge of guilt and turned around.

"I have to go," he whispered. Artemis hauled herself up to stand up.

"Just… be careful," she whispered back. Percy nodded and gave her a chaste kiss before rushing out of the room, strapping his watch onto his wrist.

"Percy!" Artemis called out before he reached the door. Percy turned his head.

"I love you!"

"I love you too," he said with a sad smile and rushed towards the elevator. It was the longest ride he had ever been on. Apollo's elevator music only made it worse. Finally, the doors dinged and opened up. Percy ran out of the building to where Mathan was shouting orders at some campers.

"Mathan!" shouted out Percy. The burly Roman turned around, his face grim. "What's going on?"

"The Titans launched a surprise attack," Mathan said, wiping sweat from his forehead. "We managed to hold them back, but we haven't finished putting up our defenses."

"Shit," murmured Percy. "Did we lose anyone?"

Mathan shook his head. "Not this time. We were able to drive them back, but it's only a matter of time before they strike back."

"Where are we weakest?"

Mathan grinned.

"We've left eight streets supposedly empty. The hunters and archers are waiting for the Titans to march their way through there."

Percy grinned back before turning towards the street directly in front of him. A mile down the road he could see a legion of soldiers in precise phalanx formation. At their head stood Jason giving what Percy assumed, was a profound speech.

"I'll be defending our Southern flank," he said and began running towards there. "Keep those lines strong!"

Mathan banged his right arm against his chest and turned back to the other campers and continued issuing orders. Percy rushed as fast as he could towards the southern line. Clarisse's troops were just getting back into formation when Percy reached them. Fresh dust lined the ground around them, and the faint stink of monster blood lingered in the air. Percy scrunched up his nose in distaste.

"Has there been any sign of them yet?" he asked Clarisse. She shook her head.

"Nothing yet. It's too quiet out there."

Percy turned and looked at the buildings around them. An idea came to his mind.

"Pull our troops back," he said. "We'll stick to the alleys and inside the buildings. When the monsters come down this street, we'll strike them from the sides."

Clarisse smiled at the prospect of killing monsters and turned to her troops. After barking a few orders, the Greeks were quickly in their positions, awaiting Percy's command to attack. They lay in waiting for hours. The sky was dark, Apollo busy fighting Typhon along with the other gods. Percy's golden eyes scanned the streets, waiting for any sign of the Titans. It was nearly noon when the attack came. The sound of the battle conch behind them told them that the Titans had attacked the Northern line. Percy steeled his nerves and drew Isorropia from his watch.

"Perce?" whispered Clarisse, tapping his shoulder. Percy turned his head. "I know you're a god and a demigod, but… are you immortal too?"

Percy didn't know how to answer that question. Frankly, he had no idea himself.

"I don't know," he answered truthfully. "I don't believe so."

Clarisse paled but nodded. "Just… be careful. I don't want to have to deal with heart broken hunters."

Percy smirked.

"I plan on it." A crash from ahead of him startled him out of the conversation. "Here we go." The monsters ripped towards them, demolishing vehicles and street lights as they stampeded towards them, unknowingly towards the Greek lines. Percy counted in his head. _Three… two… one_ … Without warning he jumped out from the alley he was hiding in, plunging his sword deep into the giant that was leading the army. The giant erupted into dust, just as the rest of the Greek soldiers charged out from the sides. The monsters were completely unprepared for the sudden attack. The demigods fought their way towards the center of the street, the advantage of surprise on their side.

A cyclops lumbered its way towards Percy, but this time he was prepared. The monster swung a massive wooden club at him, which he dodged, angling his body so the club would pass by harmlessly. Before the cyclops could react, Percy spun to his right and plunged Isorropia into the monster's thigh. It let out a ear-shattering roar as it fell to its knees. Percy sneered at it, pulled his sword out, and stabbed the beast in the chest. He was rewarded with a shower of monster dust.

The other soldiers were doing just as well. Despite their few numbers, they still managed to hold off the monsters. Clarisse roared in anger as she saw Selina being locked in conflict with an empousa. The she-demon hissed at the daughter of Aphrodite, and managed to kick her in the side with a goat foot. Selina gasped in pain as she fell to the ground, her dagger dropping just out of reach. The empousa jumped at her only to be thrown backwards by Clarisse's spear throw. Clarisse rushed to the monster and yanked her spear out of its gut and slashed its throat in a spray of blood and dust. Wiping her eyes she turned to Selina.

"Are you okay?" She asked, holding her hand out. The rest of the monsters were all dispatched quickly. Selina nodded and took the hand, hauling herself up to her feet. She brushed the dirt off her armor.

"I'm fine. Is it over?"

Clarisse shrugged and turned to Percy. He was moving to the front of their lines.

"Alright! Well done! The enemy will think twice before trying to take this street!"

The campers cheered. Percy waved his hands to quiet them.

"We still need to hold this line! Clarisse, get your troops back into line!"

Clarisse jumped to the task, immediately issuing out commands to her soldiers. When Percy felt that they were in decent shape, he nodded and left them. He had a feeling that something much worse was coming.

* * *

Jason growled in frustration. The Titans seemed to have decided that they would congregate most of their host on his street. While the Greeks were still able to hold their own, they were taking heavy casualties. Jason ducked underneath a sword, thrusting upwards with his lance. The sharp end hit home, burying itself deep into the enemy demigod's stomach. Jason watched the life leave his enemy's eyes, feeling only a little remorse. It broke his heart that other demigods believed that they could fight the gods.

A loud growl beside him broke him from his thoughts. Jason turned around, pulling his lance free and dropping into the first stance of Juyo.

"Spear point!" he cried out. The Greeks regrouped and pulled themselves into a specialized phalanx formation. Instead of the typical square shape, Jason led the spear shaped charge. The monsters growled and hissed at them, the enemy demigods eyeing their formation warily, not having had a chance to learn this style of fighting before they defected. "Charge!"

At Jason's cry the Greeks charged the monsters. The brunt force of their shields and spears pushed the enemy back violently. Some monsters were trampled, others fell to the Greek spears, and a few died from hard hits from shields. Jason smiled and lifted his lance up to the sky. A bolt of lightning struck down, energizing him. Pointing his weapon at the Titan army, he let loose the electricity, vaporizing anything in its path. The monsters paniced and retreated.

"Hold this position!" Jason screamed over the noise of swords clashing. "We hold this line! Do not press farther!" The Greeks held their lines, despite having fewer numbers now. That was when Jason felt his gut drop. The monsters stepped to the sides of the street and a lone figure strode up towards them. The man was tall, much taller than Jason, with white hair and blue eyes. His armor was silver, and his sword stygian ice.

"Surrender now, demigods, or face the wrath of the Titans," called out the figure. His very voice seemed to chill the air. Jason resisted the urge to shiver.

"Never!"

The Titan frowned, but nodded, having not expected any less. "Then you shall die by my hand."

Jason glared at the Titan and pointed his lance at him.

"For Olympus!" he cried out, charging the Titan alone. The Greeks, feeling renewed energy at seeing their leader charge, let out a battle cry and charged behind him. The Titan scowled and lifted his sword up, swinging it around his body. The Greek forces charged past the son of Zeus and the Titan, taking the fight to the monsters. Jason eyed the Titan, searching for any weakness in his armor. The Titan laughed darkly.

"A son of Zeus? How interesting. I'll be glad to give your head to your father as a gift."

Jason sneered and charged. The Titan dodged the first strike, spinning around and bringing his sword down in a downward arc. Jason propelled himself out of the way using the butt of his lance. Spinning out of reach of the Titan, he kicked out with his feet. The Titan roared in anger as Jason's foot scored a hit on his jaw. Jason twisted out of the way, dropping into Soresu. The close-quarter fighting style helped him nearly dodge the Titan's lunges, and strike back just as quickly. Thunder boomed overhead and lightning struck down around them. The other demigods managed to defeat the remaining monsters and turned to watch their leader fight the Titan singlehandedly.

The Titan swung his sword at Jason like a baseball bat, which Jason only barely managed to duck beneath. The Titan, expecting that, brought his foot up and smashed it down on the top of Jason's head, smashing him into the pavement. The other demigods cried out in anger and charged the Titan from all sides. The Titan spun around and caught a demigod in the chest, only to be impaled from the back multiple times by the other demigods. Ichor splashed over their faces. To his credit, the Titan did not cry out. He simply released his sword, leaving it in the demigod, as he collapsed to the ground. A few medics rushed over and took the wounded demigod out of the way, as Jason pulled himself to his feet. The Titan eyed him murderously as he picked his lance up and pointed it at his neck.

"Any last words, Titan?"

The Titan spat out ichor on his face. Jason scowled and wiped it away with his left hand. Then, taking his lance into both hands, he took a step back before launching himself into the air in a full spin, slashing at the Titan's neck. Ichor sprayed out in gusto, drenching Jason from head to toe. The Titan's eyes were wide in shock and pain as he fell onto his face, dead. The Greeks stared at Jason in awe. Jason only took a deep breath and surveyed the battle scene. They had lost too many troops to hold this street any longer.

"We will pull back and help the defensive wall around Olympus," he commanded, turning around and walking back to the Empire State Building. The Greeks nodded and followed their commander.

* * *

Percy watched sorrowfully as Jason led a small group of soldiers back to the tower.

"Are you all that's left?" he asked, trying but failing to keep the emotion out of his voice. Jason nodded.

"The Titans hit us hard. Even sent a Titan himself to lead the charge."

Percy's eyes widened.

"Which one?"

Jason thought for a moment. "Koios I believe."

Percy whistled softly.

"That's one mean son of a bitch. Well done, Grace."

Jason managed a weak smile at the compliment.

"What would you have us do?" asked Jason. The Greeks from his legion nodded, eager to put their spears to good use. Percy scratched his chin.

"If the Northern flank has fallen then we'll need to pull back our forces. If we can give the Titan's the illusion that we're retreating we should be able to lure them into a false sense of security."

Jason nodded and began pointing his men to different jobs. Percy pulled out a coin and a water bottle to make an Iris call. Throwing the coin into the rainbow, and issuing a blessing to Iris, Clarisse's face showed up.

"What is it, Perce?" she asked. Percy frowned.

"Pull your troops back. We're retreating to the tower. Get your asses back here now."

Clarisse nodded and began bringing her troops back as Percy slashed through the message.

* * *

 _Percy's 16th_

Percy looked around the tower and frowned. There were so few of them left. It would take only a miracle for them to survive this. Jason and Mathan began messaging the other legions to fall back to the tower. In a little less than an hour, all the remaining forces were standing in front of Percy. He looked them over and let out a small breath.

"We're about to fight the greatest battle this world has ever seen!" he called out to them. The soldiers eyed him gravely. "It won't be an easy one. Your enemy is well trained, well equipped, and battle-hardened. He will fight savagely. But we can stand tall! We've pushed back waves of monsters, defeated a Titan, and proven to Kronos that we're not to be trifled with! The tide in this war has turned. Together we will fight for victory!" Percy stepped down from the steps of the tower to be level with his troops.

"I have full confidence in your courage, your devotion to duty, and your skills in battle. We will accept nothing less than full victory! Good luck! And let us all beseech the blessing of the fates upon this great and noble undertaking!" The Greeks roared to life with bravado. They cheered and yelled their approval. Chiron stood behind Percy and felt a single tear roll down his cheek. This would be the greatest test Olympus would face. Today would be the day that the world would either end in ruin, or be free from tyranny.

The sound of distant marching called Percy's attention and he moved through the sea of his troops. They parted to let him through, Jason, Mathan, Clarisse, and Zoe following behind him. In the distance they saw the entire Titan host. They were outnumbered at least a hundred to one. Percy felt a bead of sweat trickle down his jaw bone, but he paid it no mind. At the head of the enemy's army stood an imposing figure, clad in golden armor, and wielding a golden scythe. Percy scowled and stepped forward, away from his troops.

"Who are you, demigod? That you dare defy the King of the Titans!" bellowed Kronos. Percy scowled and let his leather jacket morph into his classic hybrid armor. He pulled Isorropia from his wrist and held it to his side. Kronos' eyes widened in shock. "Impossible!"

Percy shook his head and pointed his sword at his adversary. "You will not pass."

Kronos growled in anger and stalked forward towards his son.

"You're supposed to be dead," he hissed out. Percy grinned.

"I seem to make people believe that a lot."

"This time it won't be a lie. I'll make you pay for sending me to Tartarus." Kronos' golden eyes blazed with fury, only to be met with equal rage in Percy's own golden eyes. Time froze around them. Kronos wasted no words and charged Percy, scythe raised above his head. Due to the fact that he was not in his own body, Kronos was limited in his fighting. Percy used it to his advantage. The two struck blow after blow, sparks showering down with each clash. Kronos was much stronger than Percy, and began forcing Percy back towards the tower. Percy lashed out with his foot, catching Kronos in the knee. The Titan stumbled with a grunt of pain, and Percy turned around and rushed to the steps of the tower, to avoid having to fight through his troops.

Kronos stalked through his army, his eyes trained on his traitorous son. The two clashed arms on the steps. Percy propelled himself over Kronos, landing behind him and thrusting his sword at the Titan's middle back. Kronos, however, was too fast, and spun around to parry it away. Percy grimaced and brought his shield out. Kronos slashed with his scythe. Percy blocked it with his shield, and lunged forward with his sword. Kronos jumped back out of reach. Percy glared at him and stalked him backwards into the tower. Once inside Percy took the fight to Kronos and unleashed a fury of attacks. _Slash… lunge… block… spin… stab…_ none of his strikes hit the Titan. Kronos was simply too fast and strong. Percy eyed the room, thinking of ways to use his surroundings to his advantage. That was his mistake. Kronos' observant eye caught Percy's eyes wandering for a fraction of a second, and that was all it took to strike. He swung his scythe with so much power that it cut into Percy's shield, slashing his arm. Percy howled in pain and ripped the shield off his arm, throwing it to the side. His left arm hung limply to his side, now completely useless. Kronos smirked evilly. He charged his son, swinging his scythe with tremendous speed. Percy ducked underneath Kronos' swing, and brought his sword up, catching the underside of Kronos' arm. Ichor splashed over them both, catching Percy in the eye.

Kronos growled in frustration and pain and kicked Percy in the side. Percy flew across the room, smashing into the wall where he collapsed to the ground in a heap. Isorropia returned to his wrist as his watch, but he couldn't muster the strength to get it out. Blood poured down his head, and the room seemed to be covered in black spots. He could just make out Kronos making his way towards him.

"So," drawled out Kronos. "My eldest son. The supposed hero of Olympus. The one who would bring balance to the world, has fallen by my hand. What a glorious day this is!" Kronos reached down and grabbed Percy by his jacket. He spun Percy around and put him into a headlock. Kronos laughed with glee, as he began squeezing Percy's neck. The bone's in Percy's spine began snapping, and he knew that he was only moments away from dying. Suddenly the words from the prophecy came to his mind. _The hero's soul the blessed blade shall reap._ Isorropia was the blessed soul. He had to get it. Percy struggled to get his good arm to reach his wrist, but he finally managed to pull Isorropia out. His neck was about to snap any second. He couldn't breath. The world was going black. He took the blade and gave a silent prayer to Artemis.

 _I'm sorry_ , he whispered in his mind. Pulling his arm back, Percy thrust his sword into his gut, impaling him completely, but also catching Kronos in the chest. The sudden attack made Kronos let go of Percy. Percy collapsed to his knees, Isorropia sticking out of his gut. Kronos fell backwards against the wall.

"H-how is this possible? I bare the curse of Achilles!"

"My… sword… is not hindered by any curse," gasped out Percy. _A single choice to end his days. Olympus to preserve or raze._ He had made the right choice. With a gurgled breath, both Kronos and Percy felt their life flee their bodies. Darkness washing over Percy.

 **A/N: This is the last chapter of Balancing Act! Thank you so much for reading and sticking with me through this. I hope you all have enjoyed reading this story as much as I have had writing it. Sadly, we didn't reach twenty reviews (I know I didn't give a deadline but I was excited about releasing this chapter) so you all will have to wait a little longer before the sequel, Balancing Act: Civil War, will be up.**

 **Thank you guys for reading, reviewing, favoriting, and following. You guys are seriously the best! Please let me know what you guys think about this chapter and this story as a whole.**

 **Finally, as promised, only three people. Congratulations to ro781727, SkyRamoth, and Sithdoom for catching the Star Wars references to the seven forms!**

 **This is me signing off on Balancing Act. Look for the sequel anytime soon!**

 **Update 2/17: I know this story has left on a fairly anti-climactic note but the next story will pick up right where this left off.**


	25. Chapter 25

_Percy's 16th_

 _Percy looked around the tower and frowned. There were so few of them left. It would take only a miracle for them to survive this. Jason and Mathan began messaging the other legions to fall back to the tower. In a little less than an hour, all the remaining forces were standing in front of Percy. He looked them over and let out a small breath._

 _"We're about to fight the greatest battle this world has ever seen!" he called out to them. The soldiers eyed him gravely. "It won't be an easy one. Your enemy is well trained, well equipped, and battle-hardened. He will fight savagely. But we can stand tall! We've pushed back waves of monsters, defeated a Titan, and proven to Kronos that we're not to be trifled with! The tide in this war has turned. Together we will fight for victory!" Percy stepped down from the steps of the tower to be level with his troops._

 _"I have full confidence in your courage, your devotion to duty, and your skills in battle. We will accept nothing less than full victory! Good luck! And let us all beseech the blessing of the fates upon this great and noble undertaking!" The Greeks roared to life with bravado. They cheered and yelled their approval. Chiron stood behind Percy and felt a single tear roll down his cheek. This would be the greatest test Olympus would face. Today would be the day that the world would either end in ruin, or be free from tyranny._

 _The sound of distant marching called Percy's attention and he moved through the sea of his troops. They parted to let him through, Jason, Mathan, Clarisse, and Zoe following behind him. In the distance they saw the entire Titan host. They were outnumbered at least a hundred to one. Percy felt a bead of sweat trickle down his jaw bone, but he paid it no mind. At the head of the enemy's army stood an imposing figure, clad in golden armor, and wielding a golden scythe. Percy scowled and stepped forward, away from his troops._

 _"Who are you, demigod? That you dare defy the King of the Titans!" bellowed Kronos. Percy scowled and let his leather jacket morph into his classic hybrid armor. He pulled Isorropia from his wrist and held it to his side. Kronos' eyes widened in shock. "Impossible!"_

 _Percy shook his head and pointed his sword at his adversary. "You will not pass."_

 _Kronos growled in anger and stalked forward towards his son._

 _"You're supposed to be dead," he hissed out. Percy grinned._

 _"I seem to make people believe that a lot."_

 _"This time it won't be a lie. I'll make you pay for sending me to Tartarus." Kronos' golden eyes blazed with fury, only to be met with equal rage in Percy's own golden eyes. Time froze around them._

Jason tried to move, but found that he couldn't. It was as if he were chained in place. He could, however, move his eyes. Before him Percy and Kronos were locked in battle. Jason was incredibly impressed by Percy's skill. Nobody had truly seen him fight until now. It all made sense why Percy had been the one to train their army. Beyond them Jason could make out the remaining Titan army. Despite the heavy losses they took, the enemy still outnumbered them by a lot. _Come on Percy. Get him!_ Jason thought desperately.

To his chagrin Percy and Kronos fought their way past him, towards the tower. The clashing of swords still rang out, growing fainter and fainter as the combatants moved away from the Greek army. Soon all Jason could hear was the distant sound of broken glass, steel, and utter destruction. Jason tried to struggle and found that he could move ever so slightly. _Percy must be gaining the upper hand_ , he thought with grim satisfaction. Suddenly he froze in place once more. Time seemed to be struggling to be set free as Percy and Kronos battled it out.

Just as Jason was growing infuriated at being stuck in place, time returned to normal. His struggling had gotten him off balance, and he fell to his knees. Mathan, too, fell to the ground. Jason looked up at the enemy army. None of the monsters or traitorous demigods moved. _At a boy Percy,_ he thought victoriously. Jason rose to his feet and flipped his coin, a golden sword forming in his hand. He pointed it at the enemy and shouted out.

"Attack! Capture the demigods! Kill the monsters!"

The Greeks roared their battle cry and charged the enemy. Jason smirked triumphantely.

"Shouldn't Percy be back out here by now?" asked Thalia making her way beside her brother. Jason frowned and turned back to the tower.

"Maybe he's just fatigued. Battling the king of the Titans must be draining." Jason felt a tingle of doubt blossom in his gut. "Let's go check on him to make sure."

Jason waved Zoe and Mathan over, and the four of them headed into the tower, leaving Clarisse and Phoebe in charge of the campers and hunters. The doors to the tower were shattered, and so they stepped through the glass. Inside, it seemed as though nothing had been left untouched. Vases were shattered, dirt and plants scattered on the ground. Paintings and pictures that once hung on the walls were now cracked and broken. The tiled floor was cracked and trails of blood and ichor were splashed all over. Jason frowned and pointed at Mathan and at the trail of ichor. Mathan nodded and began following the Titan blood. Jason, Thalia, and Zoe followed Percy's blood over to where the elevator was. The door was jammed closed, so Jason pried it open with his blade. What they saw made them gasp and Zoe and Thalia choke back tears.

Percy sat with his back against the elevator wall. Isorropia lay beside his hand and a pool of blood spread out from underneath him, covering the entire elevator floor in a puddle of crimson. Jason paled and dropped his own sword. He rushed forward, not caring about stepping in the blood. He put two fingers up to Percy's neck, checking for a pulse.

"Come on, Perce! Come on! Don't you dare die on us!" He pressed his fingers hard into Percy's neck, but there was no pulse. Jason finally dropped his fingers and pressed his forehead against Percy's. Thalia burst into tears and hurried away from the sight. Zoe rubbed her eyes furiously, before steeling her nerves. Jason glanced down and saw the hole in Percy's chest where he had stabbed himself. He looked up at Zoe.

"Help me move him?"

Zoe didn't respond, she only hurried over and joined Jason in pulling Percy away from the elevator. They placed him on his side and eyed both the wound on his back and on his chest.

"How is that even possible?" asked Jason. "I thought his jacket was impenetrable."

Zoe eyed Percy closely just as Mathan returned.

"Kronos is dead," he said with glee, before his eyes fell on Percy. His smile died and he stumbled backwards. "P-Percy?"

Jason nodded grimly.

"It looks as if Kronos managed to get him before Percy killed him."

Mathan cocked his head.

"I couldn't find Kronos' weapon anywhere," he said hesitantly. "He couldn't have gotten to Percy." Jason's head snapped to him so quickly that Zoe and Mathan flinched at the crack.

"Impossible. That's the only explanation."

Zoe looked back down at Percy and peeled away the leather jacket that had caked to Percy's neck. Violet bruises were clearly visible on his neck. She felt sick to her stomach.

"I- I think I know what happened," she said. Thalia stumbled back in, wiping away at her mouth, obviously having thrown up. Her face was pale as she listened along with the Romans. "Kronos must have managed to get Percy into a choke hold." She pointed at the bruises. "I'm guessing that in a last attempt to defeat Kronos, Percy stabbed himself with his sword killing him and Kronos at the same time."

"How did he get to the elevator then?" asked Thalia, her voice barely a whisper.

"Maybe he didn't die right away and crawled over to the elevator where he pulled the sword out. That would explain all the blood in there," explained Mathan. Jason nodded but still didn't look entirely convinced.

"But that still doesn't explain how Percy's jacket didn't save him."

"Isorropia is a godly sword. It's not hindered by the Nemean Lion's skin," said Zoe sadly. "I remember long ago before Gabriel left when we hunted the Nemean Lion. Gabriel's sword could stab it as easily as if it were a sheet of paper."

A deadly silence settled upon the room. Jason moved over to comfort his sister. Zoe rolled Percy onto his back and moved his hands so that they were clasped over his stomach. Suddenly Clarisse burst into the tower.

"We got them!" she shouted out, oblivious. "We defeated the monsters and have rounded up the remaining dark demigods." Clarisse finally noticed the grim mood and looked down at the ground and felt the air leave her lungs. "P-Perce?" she whispered and stumbled towards him. She collapsed beside him and began weeping. "H-how did this happen?"

"He killed himself in order to defeat Kronos," said Jason from where he was hugging Thalia. Clarisse chocked back a sob but nodded. "So the battle is over?"

"Yes," she mumbled. Jason nodded and let go of Thalia.

"Zoe, gather the campers and hunters. Have the prisoners locked up under guard of the satyrs and nymphs and bring the rest up to Olympus," commanded Jason. Zoe scowled at being ordered around by a male but complied. Thalia followed her lieutenant out of the tower to help her. Jason turned to Clarisse and Mathan. "Let's get Percy up to the Throne room. The gods need to know what happened."

Clarisse helped Jason pick Percy up and they walked over to the only other elevator still in operation.

"What should I do with Kronos' body?" asked Mathan. Jason paused and looked at him over his shoulder.

"Burn it."

[LINEBREAK]

Jason and Clarisse carried Percy's body into the Throne room. The room was completely empty, so they laid him down on the floor in the middle. By now the blood had stopped coming out of Percy's wounds. His skin was eerily white.

"What is this?" came a small voice from behind them. Jason whirled around only to find a small girl standing by the hearth. The girl's eyes widened with shock and she rushed forward.

"Gabriel!" she cried out. Tears ran down her cheeks and she clutched Percy's face in her small hands. "No!" her tears trickled onto Percy's cheeks giving his skin more color, but it wasn't enough. He was too cold. Hestia looked up at the demigods.

"How did this happen?" she whispered, her voice trembling. Clarisse looked away, not wanting to answer. Jason bowed his head.

"Percy died defeating Kronos. He sacrificed himself to save Olympus."

Hestia, despite her grief, couldn't help but smile fondly at her brother.

"He always was the hero," she murmured to herself. Suddenly, flashes of light burst into the room. The demigods immediately turned to the gods, bowing with their foreheads touching the ground.

"What is this?" asked Zeus. His voice was hoarse and thick with fatigue from the battle with Typhon. Artemis eyed the body on the floor and rushed forward.

"Percy!" She collapsed over Percy's body; the body of her best friend in the world. The body of the one she loved. Her body shook with hysteric gasps of grief. Hestia placed a calming hand on Artemis' shoulder. Slowly she stopped shaking. She lifted her head up to look at Clarisse. Her eyes were already bloodshot, and tear stains were smeared on her face along with small lines of Percy's blood.

"How?" was all she asked.

"He died saving us, my niece," whispered Hestia. Artemis turned to her aunt and felt her lower lip tremble. Hestia cupped Artemis' cheeks. "It is okay to cry. But you have to stay strong. For your hunters."

Artemis wiped her eyes angrily and nodded.

"For my hunters," she whispered. The rest of the Olympians watched the scene somberly. The ding of the elevator broke the tension in the room. The campers and hunters filed into the Throne room. When they noticed their leader lying on the ground they all burst into tears. Zeus watched the room with tremendous sadness. He cleared his throat, and when everyone's attention was on him, began to speak.

"Today marks a bittersweet day in history. Typhon has been defeated for good. Hyperion, Koios, Iapetus, Krios, Oceanus, and Prometheus have all been sent back to Tartarus, and Kronos has been killed." Zeus waved his hand and Percy's body was lifted onto a large marble slab. "Gabriel… Percy, paid the ultimate price. He defeated Kronos at the expense of his own life. His name shall forever be remembered as the Hero of Olympus. No longer will he be stricken from the history books. Let us remember Percy's valiant last stand for the rest of eternity!" The campers and hunters cheered, though it was subdued. "Many souls were lost during this war. May we remember those that stood firm and fought to rid the world of the Titans!" The gods and demigods all cheered, much more energetically. Zeus turned to the campers.

"Some of you have distinguished yourselves as leaders. As such you are deserving of a reward worthy of the children of Olympus. Clarisse LaRue daughter of Ares! Come forward!"

Clarisse hestitantly stepped forward, kneeling before her father.

"Clarisse, my daughter, I give you my blessing," said Ares. Clarisse's body glowed a blood red for a moment before dissipating.

"Mathan Foley!" called out Hephaestus, shifting into Vulcan. "I, too, give you my blessing." Mathan knelt down as his body glowed a fiery orange, the color of the furnace.

"Jason Grace!" called out Zeus, shifting into Jupiter. "Jason, I name you a General of Olympus. You will lead our armies should any threat ever arise." Jason smiled brightly at his father. Thalia gave her brother a thumbs up when her name was called out.

"Thalia Grace and Zoe Nightshade, come forward," said Artemis, her voice hoarse from her tears. "For the longest time, the Hunt has only had one lieutenant. However, the two of you have proven yourselves to be powerful allies. Together, I know you can lead this Hunt to glory. Thalia, I am promoting you to co-lieutenant alongside Zoe."

Thalia's eyes widened and she turned to Zoe who had a wide smile.

"I would be honored to lead alongside you," she said. Thalia smiled back and nodded to Artemis.

"Thank you milady," she murmured. Jupiter shifted back into Zeus.

"Tonight we feast! But first, let us honor Percy one last time," he said. The demigods thumped their arms against their chests in a sign of comradery. Artemis stepped forward and placed her hand on Percy's cheek. She closed her eyes and chanted something softly in Ancient Greek. Suddenly Percy's body disappeared and a bright light erupted in the sky above them. Everyone turned to look up. There was no knew constellation, only a bright star twinkling madly in the sky.

 **A/N: I know I said that the last chapter would be the last, but I didn't really like how I left it off. Hopefully you guys like this last little chapter. Thanks again to everyone who read, reviewed, favorited, and followed this story!**

 **Balancing Act: Civil War is currently in progress!**


	26. Chapter 26

**A/N: I am SO sorry! I just realized a few days ago that someone asked me to announce when Balancing Act: Civil War was posted. I meant to do it sooner but life has gotten in the way. So, without further ado, here is the prologue to Balancing Act: Civil War. The actual story is now up along with chapter 2 so please go on my page, find the story, and enjoy!**

It was the sound of blood dripping onto the floor that woke Lupa. Her left eye was swollen shut, and ichor trickled down her cheek. The wolf goddess tried to move, but a sharp pain shot up through her shoulder. She groaned and resisted the urge to move anymore. Her arm was obviously broken. Out of her one good eye, Lupa could just make out the small room. There was no light, but she hardly needed any to see. The walls were a faded orange color with thick grease stains. In front of her, the bars of her prison were rusted; the metal peeling.

Only a few days earlier, the Twelfth Legion Fulminata had charged the Titan stronghold at Mt. Othrys. Even without two of the strongest demigods in Jason Grace and Mathan Foley, the Romans stood strong. They made quick work of the monsters at the base of the mountain before making their way to the actual fortress. At the top, a single monster was holding up the sky as Atlas stood in front of his army. Reyna had led the Romans in their charge. The battle was bloody. Hundreds of Romans fell to the Titan army, and in particular, to Atlas' spear. Lupa was forced to stand back and watch as her beloved Romans were crushed by the Titans.

When all hope seemed to be lost, Atlas pulled his forces back towards the fortress. Reyna called the Romans back as well in order to regroup, before the Titans lifted up a white flag of surrender. Lupa had been wary about a trap and told Reyna as such, but the praetor was determined to capture Mt. Othrys. The rest of the day passed by as a blur to Lupa. One moment she was headed into the castle behind the Roman centurions and Reyna, and the next she was chained in this hell hole with her body bloody and broken. She had been right, was all she could think. The Titans had hoisted up a false flag of surrender in order to put the Romans under a false sense of security. When the Roman leaders had entered the fortress, they had been ambushed.

Lupa felt a tear run down her cheek. Reyna, the centurions, possibly the rest of Rome was now dead or enslaved. She had failed Rome.

"Lupa, Lupa, Lupa," came a coarse voice. Lupa narrowed her eye but could not move otherwise. "You should have known better than to stand in my way."

Lupa growled deep in her throat, but immediately fell into a coughing fit. Her arm exploded with pain making her slump farther against the wall, eye shut tightly.

"Oh, how the mighty have fallen," the voice said again. "You could have made this easier on yourself, Lupa. You could have joined us."

Lupa coughed up ichor and took a deep, painful breath. "I would never join you."

The voice laughed. It sent fear shivering down Lupa's spine.

"Soon. You will soon."

"Never. I'll never join you, Gaea."

"Oh I think you will," said Gaea. With a wave of her hand, Lupa was pulled back to a sitting position, and her left eye was healed. Lupa blinked a few times before glaring at the primordial goddess.

"What makes you so sure of that?"

"Because I have your precious Rome under my control now."

Lupa tried not to show her emotions, but she felt her stomach clench painfully. Gaea grinned evilly.

"You think that your legionnaires will rescue you? You're sorely mistaken. Isn't she, Reyna?"

Lupa's eyes widened. Reyna stepped into her line of sight, a smirk plain on her face.

"Hello, Lupa," Reyna said. "You've looked better."

"You'll pay for this!" growled Lupa before coughing up some more ichor. Reyna shook her head, still smiling alongside Gaea.

"I doubt that. You see, Rome is supporting Gaea completely."

"How _dare_ you?" Lupa hissed. Reyna shrugged and turned to Gaea.

"Gaea offered us an offer we couldn't refuse and the senate voted unanimously in favor of it." She turned back to the imprisoned goddess. "Now you have a choice. Join us and you'll be promised a seat on the new Olympian council."

"And if I refuse?"

"That will be the last choice you'll ever make."

Lupa eyed them for a moment. Sweat began to bead on her brow, the hairs on her neck rising on end. She literally felt like a cornered animal; something she had never felt before. The very thought of treason was foreign to her. All of her existence had been for one purpose: to serve Rome and the Olympians. Gabriel had given her the important task of looking after Rome after he left. Despite her anger towards her father, Lupa could never willingly defy him. But this was a completely different situation. Reyna was threatening her with her life. _Is that even possible? I'm a goddess_ , thought Lupa to herself. She wasn't sure if she could risk it. Gaea was obviously powerful despite having been in a deep slumber for several millennium. She must be if she could have brainwashed all of Rome; particularly the senate. Lupa grimaced. She had no choice. She wouldn't fail Rome. She would fight till the end to protect it. After a moment she nodded.

"I'll join you. But not because I want a seat on the Olympian council." Gaea smiled, her eyes sparkling with unmasked glee. "My duty is to Rome, and if Rome is supporting you, then I will too."

Gaea waved her hand once more and Lupa felt all of her wounds heal. She hauled herself up to her feet and rubbed her newly healed arm.

"We will make Olympus pay for its crimes, Lupa," she said with a tyrannic grin as she opened the door to Lupa's cell. "Together, we will kill every last one of the gods."


End file.
